India’s steady export growth in H1 FY26 reflects strong resilience, global competitiveness: FIEO

New Delhi: The sustained growth in India’s merchandise and overall exports for September 2025 and H1 FY26 shows the resilience, adaptability, and competitiveness of Indian exporters in navigating a challenging global landscape, the Federation of Indian Export Organisations said on Wednesday.

The industry body commended the growth in exports, saying India’s export sector has shown remarkable strength and consistency despite persistent geopolitical tensions, elevated interest rates, and sluggish demand across major economies.

According to official trade data, merchandise exports in September 2025 rose by 6.74 per cent to $36.38 billion from $34.08 billion in the same month last year.

Merchandise imports rose 16.6 per cent to $68.53 billion, leading to a trade deficit of $32.1 billion for the month, reflecting strong domestic demand and buoyant manufacturing activity, driven in part by elevated commodity prices and rising input costs, FIEO President S.C. Ralhan said.

In September 2025, exports of goods and services totalled $67.20 billion, up from $66.68 billion in 2024, while imports rose to $83.82 billion from $75.28 billion. This caused a monthly trade deficit of $16.61 billion. While the trade gap remains a concern, the FIEO noted that the services sector remains resilient and stable.

The increase in imports calls for a renewed focus on building domestic manufacturing capabilities in critical sectors such as electronics, machinery, and intermediate goods, Ralhan said.

The FIEO urged the government to take bold steps toward import substitution by encouraging local production and enhancing global competitiveness through innovation and scale.

Ralhan called for policy measures to enhance domestic manufacturing in key sectors, ease the availability of export credit at competitive rates for MSMEs, reduce logistics and compliance costs through modern infrastructure, and expedite FTAs with the EU, UK, Latin America, and the GCC.

He also stressed support for high-value sectors like electronics, green technology, and processed food, which offer immense potential for long-term value creation and job generation.

IANS