India’s exports rise 26.12% to $43.81 billion in August as merchandise trade deficit narrows to $26.86 billion
New Delhi, September 15: India’s merchandise exports rose 26.12% year-on-year to $43.81 billion in August 2026, while imports stood at $70.67 billion, narrowing the merchandise trade deficit to $26.86 billion.
The deficit was lower than $31.98 billion recorded in July and also slightly below the $27.2 billion gap reported in August 2025.
Merchandise exports in August were marginally lower than $44.24 billion recorded in July, but remained sharply higher on a year-on-year basis. July exports had increased 19.63% from $36.98 billion in the corresponding month last year.
The month-on-month narrowing in the goods trade deficit coincided with a decline in gold imports, which fell to about $2.3 billion in August from $4.16 billion in July.
Engineering goods, petroleum products and chemicals were among the sectors supporting merchandise export growth during the month.
India’s combined merchandise and services exports stood at about $82.68 billion in August, while the overall trade deficit narrowed to $9.41 billion from $11.62 billion in the corresponding month last year.
Services exports were estimated at $38.87 billion during August, with the services trade surplus standing at around $17.45 billion.
During April-August 2026-27, India’s overall exports increased 17.85% compared with the corresponding period of the previous financial year.
The August trade data follows merchandise exports of $44.24 billion and imports of $76.22 billion in July, when the goods trade deficit had widened to $31.98 billion.
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