Mint Primer: How India’s trade gap soared, and how it might hurt
2 weeks, 6 days ago

Mint Primer: How India’s trade gap soared, and how it might hurt

Live Mint  

India’s gold imports jumped fourfold to nearly $15 billion in November, powering a 27% surge in goods imports. Prominent drivers of the trade deficit were higher gold imports and falling realizations from petroleum exports. Gold imports touched $14.86 billion, a fourfold increase from $3.44 billion in November 2023, driven by higher volumes, likely fuelled by festive and wedding season demand. The decline in goods exports could suggest challenges in India’s manufacturing sector, particularly since exports are becoming increasingly imported components and raw materials. While merchandise exports struggled, services exports have continued to perform strongly, with November’s surplus reaching a record $18 billion.

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History of this topic

Gold googly bamboozles import data
23 hours, 29 minutes ago

Gold googly bamboozles import data

The Hindu  

In what may constitute the steepest revision in India’s trade data in recent times, the Centre has revised India’s import bill for November 2024 by almost six billion dollars to $63.86 billion from the record tally of $70 billion reported as quick estimates by the Commerce Ministry last month, led by a sharp $5 billion downward revision in gold imports. …

$5 billion shock! India makes largest-ever revision to gold import estimates for November
Trending News
1 day, 8 hours ago

$5 billion shock! India makes largest-ever revision to gold import estimates for November

Live Mint  

India has slashed its November gold import estimates by an unprecedented $5 billion, the largest revision for any commodity in history, after errors in preliminary calculations inflated the figure to a record, government data showed on Wednesday. New Delhi reported last month that its gold imports urged to a record high of $14.8 billion in November, more than doubling from …

How India’s services sector made history as goods exports floundered
4 days, 11 hours ago

How India’s services sector made history as goods exports floundered

Live Mint  

Preliminary data indicates that India’s services exports exceeded its goods exports for November 2024. At the global level, while India’s goods exports have been one of missed opportunities, services exports have an undertone of opportunity taken, driven by IT and software services. India’s share in global services exports has consistently exceeded its share in global goods exports since at least …

India’s petroleum exports plunge amid weak global demand, Red Sea disruptions
1 week, 1 day ago

India’s petroleum exports plunge amid weak global demand, Red Sea disruptions

Live Mint  

New Delhi: Exports of petroleum products took a hit in November, weighed down by sluggish demand in developed economies, a rise in domestic consumption and a significant decline in cheap petroleum imports from Russia. Compounding the issue, India’s imports of Russian crude oil in November fell to their lowest levels since June 2022, according to a recent report from the …

India's current account deficit expected at 1.1% of GDP in FY25, says ICICI bank
1 week, 3 days ago

India's current account deficit expected at 1.1% of GDP in FY25, says ICICI bank

Hindustan Times  

India's Current Account Deficit is expected to remain at 1.1 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product in the financial year 2024-25, according to a report by ICICI Bank. In the fiscal year 2024–2025, India's Current Account Deficit is anticipated to stay at 1.1% of GDP, citing to ICICI Bank analysis The report highlighted significant changes in the country's external …

ICICI Bank forecasts 1.1% current account deficit for India in FY25 amid trade challenges
Trending News
1 week, 3 days ago

ICICI Bank forecasts 1.1% current account deficit for India in FY25 amid trade challenges

Live Mint  

ICICI Bank has forecasted that its expects India's Current Account Deficit to remain at 1.1 per cent of the GDP in FY25. According to ICICI Bank, “We expect CAD at 1.1 per cent of GDP in FY25.” Factors In Focus In November 2024, India's trade deficit reached a record high of $37.8 billion, primarily due to gold imports totaling $14.9 …

India’s Services Exports Hit Historic High In Oct, Find Out Why
1 week, 4 days ago

India’s Services Exports Hit Historic High In Oct, Find Out Why

ABP News  

India’s services exports reached a historic high of $34.31 billion in October, a commerce ministry official revealed. The official further noted that India has made a name for itself as a global leader in digitally delivered services exports, backed by its strong IT sector and skilled workforce, reported PTI. In the last two decades, India grew from $30 billion in …

India’s CAD likely to exceed 2 pc of GDP in Q3 FY25 amid gold import surge: Report
1 week, 5 days ago

India’s CAD likely to exceed 2 pc of GDP in Q3 FY25 amid gold import surge: Report

Live Mint  

New Delhi, December 28 : India's Current Account Deficit is expected to rise above 2 per cent of GDP in the third quarter of FY25, driven by a surge in gold imports, according to a report by Bank of Baroda. However, resilient services exports and remittance inflows are likely to cushion the overall impact, keeping the CAD for FY25 within …

Services exports save the day for India’s current account deficit in September quarter
1 week, 6 days ago

Services exports save the day for India’s current account deficit in September quarter

Live Mint  

Mumbai: A rise in services exports helped narrow India's current account deficit in the September quarter, although this marked the second consecutive quarterly deficit after hitting a surplus in the final three months of FY24. In the three months prior to that—the fourth quarter of 2023-24 —India had registered its first current account surplus in about four years due to …

India’s trade braces for an action-packed 2025
2 weeks, 2 days ago

India’s trade braces for an action-packed 2025

Live Mint  

India’s external trade, navigating a phase of uncertainty owing to the European Union's new carbon tax on imports and slowing consumption in Europe, is set face further pressure. Yet, according to Pralok Gupta, associate professor, Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, which operates under the ministry of commerce and industry, “If US imposes high tariffs on China, India may face collateral …

Ajit Ranade: India needs more sectors to be reliable dollar earners
2 weeks, 3 days ago

Ajit Ranade: India needs more sectors to be reliable dollar earners

Live Mint  

India presently has more than a quarter trillion dollars of essential imports. Domestic production capacity for all these is unlikely to become ‘ atma nirbhar ’ in the near future, even as demand will grow as India chugs at a 7% or 8% growth rate. In a report, Ajay Srivastava, founder of Global Trade Research Initiative, analysed the structural changes …

Rupee at 85 to a Dollar: Sinking Towards 100?
2 weeks, 3 days ago

Rupee at 85 to a Dollar: Sinking Towards 100?

The Quint  

India has indeed developed a strong export franchise in not only IT services but also in setting up global capability centers that employ over 1.5 million talented Indians for highly productive use. India, in contrast to its merchandise counterpart, import much less of services, and generate good surplus despite Indians’ itch to travel abroad and seek overseas education. India exported …

What India-US trade could look like after Trump takes office
3 weeks ago

What India-US trade could look like after Trump takes office

Live Mint  

By Manoj Kumar NEW DELHI, Dec 19 - India is preparing for possible trade talks with the United States, aiming for increased investments from U.S. companies and higher exports once President-elect Donald Trump takes office. Here are key commercial issues between the two countries: TRUMP POLICY ON CHINA India seeks to leverage Trump's policy by capitalising on U.S. trade tension …

India’s record gold import said to be due to calculation error
3 weeks ago

India’s record gold import said to be due to calculation error

Deccan Chronicle  

A surge in gold imports that widened India’s trade deficit to a record last month and pushed the rupee to an all-time low was due to an error in calculation, according to people with knowledge of the matter.Officials double-counted gold shipments in warehouses following a change in methodology in July, the people said, asking not to be identified ahead of …

Services led exports are a mixed blessing for the Indian economy
3 weeks ago

Services led exports are a mixed blessing for the Indian economy

Live Mint  

If every cloud has a silver lining, the glow around India’s data that shows November’s trade deficit at a record high of $37.9 billion is the remarkable performance of service exports. In a scenario where US President-elect Donald Trump has threatened to slap “reciprocal" tariffs on India, this strong showing of service exports and declining reliance on the export of …

Indian economy to grow 6.6% in FY26: Ind-Ra
3 weeks ago

Indian economy to grow 6.6% in FY26: Ind-Ra

The Hindu  

India Ratings and Research on Wednesday projected the Indian economy to grow at 6.6% in 2025-26, up from 6.4% in the current fiscal year. Ind-Ra believes investments will be a key growth driver for the Indian economy in FY26, like in FY22 and FY24. While the June quarter GDP growth of FY25 was impacted by the combination of a strong …

Rahul Gandhi takes aim at BJP over trade deficit: ‘Govt prioritises crony businesses’
3 weeks, 1 day ago

Rahul Gandhi takes aim at BJP over trade deficit: ‘Govt prioritises crony businesses’

Hindustan Times  

Rahul Gandhi slammed the Narendra Modi-led BJP government for ‘prioritising crony capitalism over fair play’ and said that it leads to weakened manufacturing sector, depreciating currency, record high trade deficits, high interest rates, falling consumption and soaring inflation. Tagging a media report which said that trade deficit and imports are at an all-time high, the Leader of Opposition in Lok …

Rahul slams government over trade deficit touching all-time high
3 weeks, 1 day ago

Rahul slams government over trade deficit touching all-time high

The Hindu  

Slamming the Modi government, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said prioritising crony businesses over play-fair ones leads to weakened manufacturing sector, depreciating currency, record high trade deficits, high interest rates, falling consumption and soaring inflation. "Result: Weakened manufacturing sector, depreciating currency, record high trade deficits, high interest rates, falling consumption and soaring inflation," he …

Rahul slams govt over trade deficit touching all-time high
3 weeks, 1 day ago

Rahul slams govt over trade deficit touching all-time high

Deccan Chronicle  

New Delhi: Slamming the Modi government, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said prioritising crony businesses over play-fair ones leads to weakened manufacturing sector, depreciating currency, record high trade deficits, high interest rates, falling consumption and soaring inflation.Tagging a media report which said that trade deficit and imports are at an all-time high, Gandhi hit …

Trade shocker: On November’s trade estimates
Trending News
3 weeks, 1 day ago

Trade shocker: On November’s trade estimates

The Hindu  

This October’s foreign trade numbers had offered a sliver of hope for India’s generally weak export story over the past couple of years, as goods exports grew at a 28-month high pace of 17.2%. As in August, November’s import bill spike was led by gold imports that jumped 331.5% from last November to a whopping $14.9 billion. Gems and jewellery …

DC Edit | Time to focus on service sector
3 weeks, 1 day ago

DC Edit | Time to focus on service sector

Deccan Chronicle  

India’s service exports outstripped merchandise exports for the first time ever in November 2024, according to the commerce ministry’s trade data. After sustained growth beginning from February 2024, service exports stood at $37.6 billion and merchandise exports at $32.1 billion in November 2024. While India is known to export more services than it buys from other countries, the value of …

India's Gold Imports Surge 132% in November
Trending News
3 weeks, 2 days ago

India's Gold Imports Surge 132% in November

Deccan Chronicle  

Chennai: Gold imports went up 132 per cent in volume terms to 130 tonnes in the month of November. Gold imports in volume terms went up 132 per cent to 130 tonnes in November against 56 tonnes in the same month last year. Silver imports between January and November stood at 7500 tonnes, which was 121 per cent higher than …

India's gold imports to plunge in December after record November
3 weeks, 2 days ago

India's gold imports to plunge in December after record November

Deccan Chronicle  

India's gold imports are poised for a sharp slowdown in December following record purchases in November, in the absence of any major festival and as rebounding prices prompt buyers to delay purchases, trade and government officials said.Lower imports by India, the world's second-biggest consumer of the precious metal, could cap a rally in global prices that hit a record high …

Record trade deficit adds to rupee’s challenges, may open to all-time low
3 weeks, 2 days ago

Record trade deficit adds to rupee’s challenges, may open to all-time low

Live Mint  

By Nimesh Vora MUMBAI, Dec 17 - The Indian rupee may slip to an all-time low on Tuesday with the currency, already under pressure from slowing growth, choppy equity flows and a dollar rally, will have to contend with an unexpected widening in trade deficit to a record high. The jump in gold imports and weak exports pushed India's merchandise …

Trade deficit at a record $38bn as gold imports rise
Top News
3 weeks, 2 days ago

Trade deficit at a record $38bn as gold imports rise

Hindustan Times  

India’s merchandise trade deficit widened to a record $37.84 billion in November, driven primarily by surging gold imports and falling exports, a trend experts said threatens to add pressure on the rupee which is already strained by three months of portfolio outflows. Imports, however, surged by 27% to $69.95 billion compared to $55.06 billion in November 2023, mainly due to …

Services exports surpass merchandise exports in November
3 weeks, 3 days ago

Services exports surpass merchandise exports in November

Deccan Chronicle  

Chennai: Services export value was higher than merchandise exports in November, for the first time on a monthly basis. Merchandise exports were down 4.83 per cent to $32.11 billion in November while services exports grew 27 per cent to $35.67 billion. Though services exports grew 21 per cent in October 2024 at $34.02 billion, merchandise exports were higher at $39.2 …

India’s Trade Deficit Widens to Record as Gold Demand Soars
Top News
3 weeks, 3 days ago

India’s Trade Deficit Widens to Record as Gold Demand Soars

Live Mint  

-- India’s trade deficit expanded to a record high in November, as the nation’s import bill ballooned, particularly due to a rise in gold shipments. The gap between exports and imports stood at $37.8 billion in November, trade ministry data showed Monday, much higher than the $23 billion deficit forecast by economists in a Bloomberg survey. A widening trade deficit …

India’s imports rises to 27%, touches to record high of almost $70 billion
3 weeks, 3 days ago

India’s imports rises to 27%, touches to record high of almost $70 billion

The Hindu  

India’s merchandise exports fell 4.83% to $32.11 billion in November while the import bill jumped 27% to a record high of almost $70 billion, as per data released by the Commerce Ministry. This is the third time in four months that India’s import bill has hit a record high, but November’s tally surpasses the last two occasions by a wide …

Merchandise trade deficit and services trade surplus to touch record high in Q3
1 month ago

Merchandise trade deficit and services trade surplus to touch record high in Q3

Deccan Chronicle  

Chennai: In the December quarter, Indian trade will see both merchandise trade deficit and services trade surplus touching record high levels. The goods trade deficit is likely to touch a record high of $80 billion while services trade surplus too could register a fresh high of around $49 billion in Q3 FY25. The global trade in commercial services grew at …

Barter at the border: India's export curbs and price disparity fuel rising illegal trade at the Bangladesh border
1 month ago

Barter at the border: India's export curbs and price disparity fuel rising illegal trade at the Bangladesh border

New Indian Express  

Since mid-2022, smuggling of gold in exchange for food items has surged along the India-Bangladesh border, driven by India's export restrictions and a significant price disparity between the two countries. India's Border Security Force actively tries to prevent such illegal activities, searching vehicles for smuggled goods like gold, drugs, and food staples, including sugar and onions. Despite India reducing its …

India’s exports rise, boosting global presence
1 month ago

India’s exports rise, boosting global presence

Deccan Chronicle  

New Delhi: India is eyeing to be a global economic powerhouse with its remarkable achievements in the export landscape. “India’s export performance in several key product categories has shown notable success, with the country maintaining or improving its rank among the top 10 global suppliers, all with export values exceeding $1 billion in 2023,” the ministry said. “The petroleum sector …

Commerce Ministry Reviews India-US Trade Ties Amid Trump’s Controversial Remark
1 month ago

Commerce Ministry Reviews India-US Trade Ties Amid Trump’s Controversial Remark

ABP News  

The commerce ministry is reviewing aspects of India-US trade relations, focusing on the implications of statements made by US President-elect Donald Trump during his election campaign and after the results, an official said, according to a PTI report. Trade experts have argued that Trump’s characterisation of India as an "abuser" of tariffs is unfair, as many countries, including the US, …

India-China trade: An alarming $18 billion discrepancy
1 month, 1 week ago

India-China trade: An alarming $18 billion discrepancy

Live Mint  

India-China trade data for 2023 reveals a widening discrepancy, with India's reported imports from China falling significantly short of China's export figures, raising concerns over potential anomalies such as under-invoicing, misclassification, and inconsistent reporting practices. In 2023, India's merchandise imports from China stood at $99.59 billion, which was 18.2% lower than the $117.68 billion worth of exports reported by China, …

India: Services Exports to Surpass Merchandise Shipments by 2030
1 month, 2 weeks ago

India: Services Exports to Surpass Merchandise Shipments by 2030

Deccan Chronicle  

Chennai: With a growth rate double that of merchandise exports, services export is set to surpass the former in five years. Between FY2019 and FY2024, India’s merchandise exports grew at a compound annual growth rate of 5.8 per cent, while services exports surged ahead at a robust CAGR of 10.5 per cent. According to GTRI, at this rate, services exports …

Pharma, electronics and engineering goods among India’s top exports during Apr-Oct
1 month, 3 weeks ago

Pharma, electronics and engineering goods among India’s top exports during Apr-Oct

Live Mint  

New Delhi: India's merchandise exports continued their upward trajectory during April-October, with 21 of the top 30 sectors registering growth in value terms, buoyed by rising global demand for Indian goods. Growth in key sectors like pharmaceuticals, electronics, and engineering goods contributed to the overall gains, while a sharp decline was reported in traditionally strong sectors—petroleum and gems and jewellery—amid …

India’s current account deficit to remain manageable in FY25, Rupee to remain in pressure: Bank of Baroda
1 month, 3 weeks ago

India’s current account deficit to remain manageable in FY25, Rupee to remain in pressure: Bank of Baroda

Live Mint  

New Delhi, November 15 : India's current account deficit will remain within a manageable range for both FY25 and FY26, largely due to muted oil prices that are expected to support the country's external financial position, projected a recent report by Bank of Baroda. Despite global market volatility, the report stated that steady oil prices at current levels are a …

Merchandise exports surge amid focus on key markets, countries
Trending News
1 month, 3 weeks ago

Merchandise exports surge amid focus on key markets, countries

Hindustan Times  

India’s merchandise exports registered 17.25% growth to $39.20 billion in October over the same month last year, with non-petroleum exports aggregating a record $211.34 billion in the first seven months of current financial year despite global headwinds, commerce secretary Sunil Barthwal said, crediting a concerted policy push and Christmas demand for the growth. India’s services exports in October 2024 is …

Merchandise exports in Oct up 17 pc
1 month, 3 weeks ago

Merchandise exports in Oct up 17 pc

Deccan Chronicle  

Chennai: Buoyed by festive demand in the key markets, merchandise exports in October rose 17.26 per cent year-on-year to $39.2 billion, while it grew 13.3 per cent sequentially. While imports rose 3.88 per cent year-on-year, the sequential growth of 20 per cent saw the trade deficit widening to $27.14 billion. Imports grew 3.88 per cent year-on-year to $66.34 billion against …

India’s goods trade deficit widens to $27 billion in October
Trending News
1 month, 3 weeks ago

India’s goods trade deficit widens to $27 billion in October

Live Mint  

New Delhi: India’s merchandise trade deficit widened to a two-month high in October, driven by a rise in imports, data released by the commerce ministry on Thursday showed. The goods trade deficit—the difference between exports and imports—stood at $27.14 billion in October, up from $20.78 billion in September. The overall trade deficit, including both services and merchandise, fell to $10.12 …

India will meet its exports target of USD 800 billion this year: Commerce Secretary
1 month, 3 weeks ago

India will meet its exports target of USD 800 billion this year: Commerce Secretary

Op India  

India’s exports surged by over 19 per cent in October. Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal was upbeat on the trade data and said, “It has been an extremely good month for us, and not only our overall export progress has been extremely good, but if you look at April to October, this has been the highest ever non-petroleum exports from this …

Merchandise exports set for modest rebound, to hit $107.5 billion in Q3: India Exim Bank
1 month, 4 weeks ago

Merchandise exports set for modest rebound, to hit $107.5 billion in Q3: India Exim Bank

Live Mint  

India's merchandise exports are likely to rise 1.85% year-on-year to $107.5 billion in the third quarter of FY25, according to India Exim Bank. Exim Bank has projected non-oil exports at $91.7 billion, marking a year-on-year growth of 7.39%. Read this | RITES sets sights on Africa for export of refurbished and underutilized railway diesel locos This anticipated growth signals a …

The IMF's WEO and the Rise of China: A Cautionary Tale for India
2 months, 2 weeks ago

The IMF's WEO and the Rise of China: A Cautionary Tale for India

Hindustan Times  

The IMF's World Economic Outlook report sheds light on the competitive edge China holds in the electric vehicle (EV) industry. The report highlights the sharp rise in labor productivity in China, which has enabled them to produce EVs at lower costs compared to their European counterparts. This competitiveness could lead to a global disruption in the EV market, which is …

How India can fix the Chinese imports problem
3 months, 1 week ago

How India can fix the Chinese imports problem

Live Mint  

India last month extended countervailing duties of 12-30% on certain steel imports from China and Vietnam, following requests from local producers to safeguard against cheaper imports. Read this | Mint Primer | China’s stimulus: What it spells for India & the world A growing economy like India’s naturally requires more imports to meet rising consumption and manufacturing demand, with cost …

India’s petroleum exports plunge in first five months of FY25 on lower demand, supply disruption
3 months, 2 weeks ago

India’s petroleum exports plunge in first five months of FY25 on lower demand, supply disruption

Live Mint  

New Delhi: India's petroleum exports saw a steep decline during the first five months of fiscal year 2025 due to lower demand from key markets and disruptions along the supply route, especially in the Red Sea region. "The drop in India's petroleum exports in the last three months was mostly due to the Red Sea issue, which led to higher …

Is the spike in India’s trade deficit a worry?
3 months, 2 weeks ago

Is the spike in India’s trade deficit a worry?

The Hindu  

The story so far: After a positive start to goods exports in the first quarter of 2024-25, there has been a blip in momentum. On the exports front, 18 of India’s top 30 segments recorded growth in July and 19 in August, but the big-ticket sectors like petroleum, and gems and jewellery, have tanked significantly. While gems and jewellery exports …

August’s record gold influx lifts import bill to all-time high
3 months, 3 weeks ago

August’s record gold influx lifts import bill to all-time high

The Hindu  

India’s goods exports shrank 9.32% to $34.71 billion in August, while the import bill expanded 3.3% to an all-time high of $64.36 billion, fuelled by a doubling in gold imports to a record $10.1 billion. On the surge in gold imports, the top trade official pointed to plausible factors such as the recent reduction in import duty from 15% to …

India has trade surplus with 151 nations; deficit with 75 during Jan-June 2024: GTRI
4 months, 1 week ago

India has trade surplus with 151 nations; deficit with 75 during Jan-June 2024: GTRI

The Hindu  

India has recorded trade surplus with as many as 151 countries such as the U.S. and Netherlands, while the country has a trade deficit with 75 nations including China and Russia during the first half of this year, according to think tank GTRI. "Between January and June 2024, India had a trade surplus with 151 countries, representing 55.8 per cent …

India has made strides to further self-reliance in defence, exporting weapons too: PM
4 months, 3 weeks ago

India has made strides to further self-reliance in defence, exporting weapons too: PM

Hindustan Times  

NEW DELHI: In his 98-minute Independence Day speech delivered from the imposing Red Fort on a drizzly morning, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday captured the strides made by India to further self-reliance in the critical defence manufacturing sector and how the country had gradually transformed itself from being an importer of military hardware to an exporter. India has made …

India was victim of terror attacks but now Armed Forces giving a befitting reply, says PM Modi
4 months, 3 weeks ago

India was victim of terror attacks but now Armed Forces giving a befitting reply, says PM Modi

New Indian Express  

India is attaining ‘Aatmanirbharta’ in defence and is emerging as a global manufacturing hub due to the steps taken by the Government in the last few years. He lauded the Ministry of Defence and the Armed Forces for taking a series of decisions, including the notification of a number of positive indigenisation lists, wherein there are over 5,600 items that …

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