Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 04:32pm on 13 Aug 2026,Thursday Business
India’s merchandise exports rose nearly 20% year-on-year to $44.24 billion in July 2026, supported by stronger shipments of electronics and engineering goods, according to Commerce Ministry data. However, imports grew faster, increasing 17.51% to $76.22 billion, as elevated input and commodity costs linked partly to the West Asia crisis pushed up import values. Consequently, the merchandise trade deficit widened to $32 billion, its highest level in six months, from $27.9 billion in July 2025. Economists noted that both exports and imports have recorded double-digit growth for four consecutive months, partly reflecting higher commodity-price inflation. Imports of coal, fertilisers, electronics and chemical products expanded by more than 20% in July. (PC: @geovishalsharma)
