India's Trade Deficit Widens to $25 Billion in December; Exports Show Growth

• India's merchandise trade deficit marginally widened to $25.04 billion in December, up from $24.53 billion in November.
• Merchandise exports increased to $38.51 billion in December, while imports rose to $63.55 billion.
• Key export growth drivers included electronic goods (16.8%), meat, dairy & poultry (30.5%), and drugs & pharmaceuticals (5.7%).
• Gold imports fell 12.1% to $4.13 billion, but petroleum imports edged up nearly 6% to $14.41 billion.
• Commerce secretary Rajesh Agrawal projects overall exports for FY26 to exceed $850 billion if current trends continue.

Why It Matters: India's trade deficit widened in December due to higher imports, but overall exports are projected to grow.