India experienced a significant boost in its total exports during April 2026, with combined merchandise and services trade reaching an estimated $80.80 billion. This represents a substantial 13.59% increase compared to April 2025, according to provisional data released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry on May 15, 2026. The positive trend indicates a strong start to the fiscal year, even as overall imports also saw an uptick.
Trade Overview: Exports Outpace Imports
While total exports climbed to $80.80 billion, overall imports for April 2026 stood at an estimated $88.61 billion, marking a 7.67% rise from the previous year. Crucially, the overall trade deficit narrowed to $7.81 billion, a notable improvement from $11.16 billion recorded in April 2025, suggesting a more balanced trade environment.
Merchandise and Services Trade Performance
- Merchandise Exports: These rose to $43.56 billion in April 2026, up from $38.28 billion in the corresponding month last year.
- Merchandise Imports: Increased to $71.94 billion from $65.38 billion during the same period.
- Services Exports: Showed remarkable resilience, estimated at $37.24 billion for April 2026, a 13.36% year-on-year growth from $32.85 billion.
- Services Imports: Slightly decreased to an estimated $16.66 billion from $16.91 billion a year earlier.
Non-petroleum and non-gems & jewellery exports, considered a key indicator of core export strength, also saw a healthy rise to $31.64 billion in April 2026 from $28.66 billion previously. Similarly, non-petroleum imports increased to $53.32 billion from $44.68 billion.
Key Sectors Driving Export Growth
Several sectors contributed significantly to India's robust export performance:
- Cereals: Registered the sharpest growth at an impressive 210.19%.
- Meat, Dairy & Poultry Products: Grew by 48.03%.
- Electronic Goods: Saw a 40.31% increase.
- Petroleum Products: Advanced by 34.66%.
- Handicrafts (excluding handmade carpets): Gained 26.21%.
Other sectors like Marine Products, Engineering Goods, Coffee, Organic & Inorganic Chemicals, and Drugs & Pharmaceuticals also recorded positive growth during the month. Conversely, some import categories experienced contractions, including Chemical Material & Products (35.4%), Pulses (29.69%), and Pearls, Precious & Semi-Precious Stones (15.96%). Imports of Petroleum, Crude & Products also declined by 10.03%.
Global Trade Partners
In terms of export destinations with the highest growth in trade value, Singapore, Tanzania, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Hong Kong were prominent in April 2026. On the import front, China, Russia, Oman, Peru, and Saudi Arabia emerged as India's fastest-growing sourcing markets.
The Ministry noted that services trade data for April 2026 remains provisional, as the latest Reserve Bank of India data available currently pertains to March 2026.