India’s merchandise ‌trade deficit narrowed in February to $27.1 billion as imports eased from a month earlier, even as trade experts have cautioned that the escalating West Asia crisis could stall shipments and raise costs for the nation heavily dependent on oil imports. ADVERTISEMENTMerchandise exports rose marginally to $36.61 billion in February from $36.56 billion a month earlier, while imports fell to $63.71 billion from $71.24 billion. For the 11-months of FY26, India’s merchandise exports went up 1.84 per cent to $402.93 billion, while imports rose 8.53 per cent to $713.53 billion during the period. While growth in merchandise trade remained tepid, the service sector continues to perform well, climbing 10.2 per cent to $387.9 billion. In contrast, imports grew faster, reaching $900.5 billion in the same period, a 7.4 per cent increase over the same period of last year.

Source: The Telegraph March 17, 2026 02:43 UTC