India’s Exports Hit All-Time High Despite Global Uncertainty

New Delhi – India’s total exports of goods and services surged to an unprecedented $418.91 billion during April–September 2025, marking a 5.86 per cent year-on-year increase, according to the Commerce Ministry’s year-end review released on Wednesday. This strong performance shows the continued momentum from the previous financial year, which ended on March 31.

The review notes that India’s first-half export performance in FY 2025–26 is the highest ever, achieved despite ongoing global economic challenges.

This growth follows India’s milestone achievement in 2024–25, when total merchandise and services exports reached a historic $825.25 billion, representing 6.05 per cent annual growth.

Strong Services and Steady Merchandise Growth

India’s services sector remained a major driver, recording $387.54 billion in exports in 2024–25, a solid 13.63 per cent increase. This momentum continued into the current fiscal year, with services exports reaching $199.03 billion in April–September 2025, up 9.34 per cent from the same period last year.

Merchandise exports remained stable in 2024–25 at $437.70 billion, while non-petroleum exports rose to a record $374.32 billion, growing 6.07 per cent. In the first half of 2025–26, merchandise exports climbed to $219.88 billion, a 2.90 per cent increase.

Key Export Drivers (April–September 2025)

Significant contributors to export growth include:

• Electronic Goods: 41.94%

• Engineering Goods: 5.35%

• Drugs & Pharmaceuticals: 6.46%

• Marine Products: 17.4%

• Rice: 10.02%

These sectors collectively supported the robust export performance.

Top Export Destinations

Major markets showing strong growth compared to the previous year include:

• United States: 13.34%

• United Arab Emirates: 9.34%

• China: 21.85%

• Spain: 40.30%

• Hong Kong: 23.53%

Export Promotion Mission Launched

The government launched the landmark Export Promotion Mission (EPM) with a total outlay of Rs 25,060 crore for FY 2025–26 to FY 2030–31. The mission brings together the Department of Commerce, Ministry of MSME, Ministry of Finance, financial institutions, industry bodies, and state governments in a unified framework. It shifts India’s export strategy from fragmented schemes to a single outcome-driven mechanism that can swiftly respond to global trade challenges.

Digital Transformation Initiatives

The Commerce Department has advanced trade digitisation through initiatives such as:

• Trade eConnect, and

• Trade Intelligence and Analytics (TIA) Portal,

enabling data-driven decision-making and strengthening trade facilitation.

Further measures include a five-year R&D grant to support domestic production of LGD seeds and machines, executed through IIT Madras, yielding encouraging results.

Strengthening Global Trade Partnerships

India also strengthened its economic partnerships through major trade agreements. The landmark India–UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) offers duty-free access to 99 per cent of Indian exports, paving the way for bilateral trade to reach $100 billion by 2030.

Other strategic agreements include:

• UAE–India CEPA

• Australia–India ECTA

• India–EFTA Trade Agreement

India is additionally negotiating FTAs with several major countries and regions, opening new opportunities across sectors and deepening integration into global value chains.

With inputs from IANS