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INDIA’S DEC EXPORTS DIP MARGINALLY, IMPORTS RISE; DEFICIT STANDS AT $6.9 BILLION
The Business Guardian
|January 16, 2026
The country’s overall trade deficit widened significantly to USD 6.92 billion in December 2025, compared with USD 1.46 billion in the same month last year.
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India’s overall exports in December 2025 stood at USD 74.01 billion, marginally lower than USD 74.77 billion in December 2024, while imports rose sharply to USD 80.94 billion from USD 76.23 billion a year ago, according to official data released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry on Thursday.
The country’s overall trade deficit widened significantly to USD 6.92 billion in December 2025, compared with USD 1.46 billion in the same month last year.
The increase in the trade gap was driven primarily by higher imports, even as exports remained broadly stable on a year-on-year basis.
The data covers combined trade in merchandise and services.
A closer look at merchandise trade shows a modest improvement in exports. Merchandise exports increased to USD 38.51 billion in December 2025 from USD 37.80 billion in December 2024, reflecting steady outbound shipments despite global economic uncertainties.
This story is from the January 16, 2026 edition of The Business Guardian.
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