Goods exports rise 15.5% in June

Export growth in June was driven by electronics, rice, iron ore, handicrafts, meat and dairy products and marine products

India’s goods exports increased 15.5 per cent year-on-year in June 2026 to $40.41 billion, driven by sustained shipments across key sectors, but trade deficit widened to a five-month high of $30.43 billion as imports in the month surged 31 per cent to $70.84 billion.“India has been on a positive trajectory. Our exports have been going up….The trade deficit is mainly from sectors, including petroleum products, electronics and gold (gems & jewellery) where our net trade balance is down,” Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal explained at a media briefing sharing trade numbers for June and the first quarter of the fiscal on Monday.Import of crudeCrude oil imports increased 40 per cent to $19.32 billion in June, while electronic goods imports jumped 58.77 per cent to $13.36 billion, per the quick estimates released by the government. Other products where imports increased substantially during the month include fertilisers, gold, non-ferrous metals and chemicals.Agrawal noted that export growth in June was driven by electronics, rice, iron ore, handicrafts, meat and dairy products and marine products. Engineering goods exports also performed well, growing 20.74 per cent in June, to $11.47 billion. “Some of the key factors that have contributed to the double-digit growth in exports include free trade pacts with key partner countries, exporters’ product and market diversification strategy and the rising competitiveness of Brand India products,” pointed out Pankaj Chadha, Chairman, EEPC India.In the first quarter (April-June) of the current fiscal, exports increased 15.92 per cent to $129.32 billion, while imports rose 19.89 per cent to $216.18 billion. Merchandise trade deficit in April-June 2026-27 was $86.86 billion, compared to $68.75 billion in the same period last year.“On quarter basis, this is the highest we have achieved so far [in goods exports],” said Agrawal. India’s exports posted high growth, mainly to countries such as South Africa, Singapore, China, Oman and Malaysia, per the Commerce Department.While India’s exports to West Asia declined significantly in April due to the conflict in the region, they evened out by June, posting 7.29 per cent year-on-year growth to $5 billion, said Agrawal. “Recovery has started. We went down in March 2026. We improved in April. We caught up around May and in June, we are evened out….Whatever challenges we faced in March, April and May have evened out,” he said.India’s exports to the US, its largest export destination, declined 1.21 per cent to $ 8.17 billion in June, while imports grew 33.86 per cent year-on-year to $5.5 billion, according to government data.Published on July 13, 2026