India’s trade deficit narrows in Feb

India’s merchandise trade deficit narrowed to $27.1 billion in February from $34.68 billion in the previous month, according to data released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry on Monday.
The country’s merchandise exports rose to $36.61 billion from $36.56 billion in January, while imports fell to $63.71 billion from $71.24 billion, the figures showed. India’s merchandise exports stood at $402.93 billion for April–February 2025–26, up from $395.66 billion in the same period last year, which represents a 1.84 per cent increase, according to official data. The data comes against the backdrop of the escalation in the Iran war, which broke out on February 28, leading to a choking of the Strait of Hormuz in the Middle East through which 20 per cent of the world’s oil and gas exports transit.