New Delhi: With a surge in imports that outpaced the increase in exports, India’s trade deficit widened to $39.88 billion in October from $30.21 billion in September, while the country’s overall exports, including merchandise and services, jumped 29.9 per cent to record the country’s highest ever monthly export value of $89.99 billion in October, the government data said on Friday.
As far as the deficit is concerned, it widened by nearly 32 percent month-on-month, despite merchandise exports climbing to an all-time high of $49.47 billion in October from $44.40 billion in September. “Merchandise imports surged to $89.35 billion in October from $74.61 billion in the previous month, an increase of nearly 20 percent,” the data showed.
For exports, commerce secretary Rajesh Agrawal said that India’s overall shipments jumped 29.9 per cent to record the country’s highest ever monthly export value of $89.99 billion in October. “The country’s exports — including merchandise and services — stood at $69.27 billion in the same month last year. India’s trade deficit in October 2025 stood at $25.15 billion,” the data showed.
During October, merchandise exports rose to $49.47 billion from $34.11 billion in the corresponding month of last year, the data showed. Meanwhile, services exports also grew to $40.51 billion, from $35.17 billion in October 2025.
Addressing a media briefing virtually, the commerce secretary also said, “In the month of October, the merchandise exports have registered a new peak of $49.47 billion. This is the highest-ever monthly merchandise export value, along with the highest monthly growth of 45.06 per cent in the last five years.”
“The total exports are also estimated at $89.99 billion in October 2026, which is again the highest-ever monthly export value. We have not achieved $89.99 billion ever till now in any month. This is also the third highest monthly growth rate of 29.90 per cent in the last five years,” he said.
The commerce secretary shared that the encouraging part of the growth is that it is not confined to any particular sector or geography. It is broad-based across countries and regions. “43 of our 50 export destinations, top export destinations, posted positive growth in October 2026 as compared to 2025,” he added.
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