India’s exports continue to maintain resilience amid global headwinds in April 2026 : FIEO President

NEW DELHI : India’s Merchandise Exports registered an impressive increase in April 2026, reflecting the resilience and competitiveness of the country’s export sector despite challenging global economic conditions and geopolitical uncertainties. India’s merchandise exports rose to USD 43.56 billion in April 2026 from USD 38.28 billion in April 2025, while imports increased sharply to USD 71.94 billion from USD 65.38 billion during the same period last year. India’s overall exports of goods and services are estimated at USD 80.80 billion during April 2026.

Commenting on the trade data, Mr S C Ralhan, President of the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO), said that the growth in merchandise exports in April 2026 demonstrates the underlying strength and adaptability of Indian exporters amid an increasingly uncertain global trade environment. Despite geopolitical tensions, supply chain disruptions and rising logistics costs, Indian exporters have continued to perform strongly across key sectors.

However, India’s merchandise trade deficit widened to USD 28.38 billion in April 2026. FIEO Chief said that the widening deficit has largely been attributed to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which disrupted global shipping routes, elevated freight and energy costs, and significantly impacted India’s import bill. Mr Ralhan further added that the sharp rise in imports, particularly petroleum and electronic goods, coupled with elevated energy prices due to the Middle East conflict, has also added to the woes of the widened the trade deficit. However, robust overall exports of goods and services at USD 80.80 billion indicate that India’s external sector continues to remain on a stable footing.

Mr Ralhan emphasized that engineering goods, electronics, pharmaceuticals and textiles continue to drive export growth and reflect India’s growing manufacturing capabilities and diversification in global markets.

India’s top export items during April 2026 included Engineering Goods, Petroleum Products, Electronic Goods, Drugs & Pharmaceuticals, Organic & Inorganic Chemicals, Gems & Jewellery, RMG of All Textiles, Rice, Cotton Yarn/Fabs/Made-ups/Handloom Products and Plastic & Linoleum products. Which India’s major import items included Petroleum Crude & Products, Electronic Goods, Gold, Machinery (Electrical & Non-Electrical), Transport Equipment, Non-Ferrous Metals, Coal/Coke/Briquettes, Organic & Inorganic Chemicals, Artificial Resins/Plastic Materials and Vegetable Oil.

The top export destinations for India during April 2026 were USA, Singapore, UAE, China, Bangladesh, Netherlands, Tanzania, UK, Australia and Sri Lanka, while the leading import sources included China, Russia, USA, UAE, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Germany and Indonesia.

Mr Ralhan also stressed the need for continued policy support to exporters, stable logistics supply chains and enhanced market access initiatives to sustain export momentum in the coming months. “Going forward, India must continue focusing on export diversification, value addition, trade facilitation and strengthening of strategic trade partnerships to achieve sustained export growth and improve global competitiveness,” he reiterated.