India Trade Deficit Widens in April, Drags Rupee to Record Low

BasisPoint Insight

May 15, 2026 at 11:48 AM IST

Week in Numbers: Tracking India’s Economic Pulse

High-frequency data suggest that the Indian economy has slowed in March due to the war in West Asia, though less than feared.

Datametricx

May 3, 2026 at 5:41 AM IST

Istock.com

US Tariff Refund: India’s $12 Billion Gain Hinges on Case-to-Case Negotiations

The refunds follow a February 20, 2026 ruling by the US Supreme Court, which said President Donald Trump’s tariffs were illegal

Ajay Srivastava

April 21, 2026 at 8:16 AM IST

Istock.com

India’s FY26 Trade Gap Widens as Import Momentum Outpaces Patchy Export Gains

BasisPoint Insight

April 15, 2026 at 1:53 PM IST

Rising Imports Seen Pushing India’s 2025-26 Trade Deficit to Nearly $120 Billion: GTRI

BasisPoint Insight

March 16, 2026 at 2:29 PM IST

A Thaw with China Must Reset India’s Uneven Trade Equation

India–China ties may be warming again, but the trade numbers tell a different story. Imports from China continue to surge while India’s exports struggle to keep pace.

Sharmila Kantha

March 11, 2026 at 5:25 AM IST

iStock.com

Floating: A Double-Edged Sword

Floating exchange rates were meant to absorb shocks. This essay shows how, in emerging economies, they have often magnified crises instead.

Michael Debabrata Patra

February 25, 2026 at 3:09 AM IST

iStock.com

India–US Trade Deal: Pragmatic Statecraft, Not Diplomatic Surrender

India’s US trade deal looks asymmetric on paper, but macro constraints, capital dependence and geopolitics made acceptance rational statecraft, not surrender.

R. Gurumurthy

February 11, 2026 at 3:02 AM IST

iStock.com

India Opens Its Market, the US Keeps Its Levers

The interim US–India trade framework eases exporter stress but embeds uneven concessions, as India front-loads market access while US relief stays conditional.

Sangeeta Godbole

February 7, 2026 at 2:40 PM IST

iStock.com

India Faces Higher EU Tariffs as GSP Suspension Hits 87% of Exports

While there is optimism over the conclusion of the India–EU Free Trade Agreement, Indian exporters will, in reality, confront higher trade barriers in the near term

Ajay Srivastava

January 23, 2026 at 10:23 AM IST

Istock.com

Budget 2026

Why the Budget Should Support Development Goals

Beyond headline numbers, this Budget must align fiscal discipline with productivity, inclusion and institutional reform to sustain growth and realise Viksit Bharat.

Ashima Goyal

January 23, 2026 at 6:04 AM IST

iStock.com

One State, One Bet: How Tamil Nadu Rewired India’s Electronics Map

Tamil Nadu’s electronics surge is no accident. It reflects deliberate policy sequencing, infrastructure depth, and labour-market alignment that have reshaped the state’s export economy.

Rajesh Kumar*

January 9, 2026 at 7:37 AM IST

Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu

India’s 2025 Exports Resilient, but Policy Gaps Remain

India’s exports weathered a turbulent 2025 marked by protectionism and trade disruptions, showing resilience. Delayed policy support and uneven gains from trade agreements, however, leave the sector vulnerable as global uncertainties persist into 2026.

Sharmila Kantha

January 2, 2026 at 7:32 AM IST

Istock.com

India’s China Trade: Volatile Exports, Rising Import Dependence

India’s exports to China surged 90% in November 2025. What’s behind the numbers?

Ajay Srivastava

December 21, 2025 at 9:59 AM IST

iStock.com

What’s Behind the Rebound in Indian Exports to the US — and Is It Sustainable?

About 85% of India’s US Exports Show a Two-Step Pattern as Tariffs Rise: Sharp Fall, Then Partial Recovery

Ajay Srivastava

December 21, 2025 at 6:17 AM IST

iStock.com/MAGNIFIER

India Expands Gulf Trade Footprint with Oman CEPA

For India, the most visible gains lie in merchandise exports. Oman has offered immediate zero-duty access on about 98% of its tariff lines, covering roughly 99% of India’s exports by value.

Ajay Srivastava

December 18, 2025 at 4:25 PM IST

PIB

Oman Trade Deal Anchors India’s Expanding Gulf Strategy

The structure of the CEPA broadly mirrors the commitments India offered the United Arab Emirates under their bilateral trade pact, reflecting New Delhi’s evolving template for Gulf trade agreements.

Ajay Srivastava

December 17, 2025 at 4:05 PM IST

iStock.com

India’s Export Surge in November: Too Early to Celebrate?

India’s exports rose sharply in November, but a closer look reveals the boost may stem from base effects and a few sectors, raising questions about the sustainability of the trend.

Rajesh Mahapatra

December 16, 2025 at 12:26 PM IST

iStock.com

Rupee Volatility Tells a Trade Story as Dollar/Rupee Enters the Nineties

Dollar/rupee crossing 90 is less worrying than the tariff risks driving volatility, as India’s exporters face pressure from a prolonged dispute with Washington.

Manoj Rane

December 6, 2025 at 4:27 AM IST

India Can Increase Exports to Russia Sevenfold to $35 Billion by 2030; Here’s How

Closing the trade gap, will depend on identifying and scaling high-potential product lines where India is globally competitive but commercially absent in Russia.

Ajay Srivastava

December 5, 2025 at 3:49 PM IST

Wikimedia Commons

Monetary Policy

Goodbye Inflation, See You in Next Cycle

The RBI’s rate cut reflects the end of an inflation cycle that began in 2022 and collapsed spectacularly in 2025.

BasisPoint Groupthink

December 5, 2025 at 8:00 AM IST

India’s Exports to US Fall 28.5% in Past Five Months as Tariffs Batter Key Sectors

The government should urgently roll out the Export Promotion Mission and press Washington to drop the Russia-related tariff.

Ajay Srivastava

November 29, 2025 at 4:18 AM IST

iStock.com

India’s US Exports Rebound After Four Consecutive Months of Decline

Globally, India’s exports declined by 11.8%. Overall, India saw growth in just five markets and declines in fifteen, reflecting a patchy and fragile export landscape.

Ajay Srivastava

November 17, 2025 at 2:54 PM IST

iStock.com

One Door Closes; Another Opens

India’s gem and jewellery industry faces US tariff setbacks but finds new hope through the UK trade deal, expanding markets, and domestic growth.

Michael Debabrata Patra

November 15, 2025 at 2:41 AM IST

Cabinet Approves Export Promotion Mission, But Funding and Rollout Challenges Loom

The Export Promotion Mission, cleared by the Cabinet, promises easier finance and stronger support for MSMEs. Yet the modest budget and institutional overlap could slow benefits to exporters.

Ajay Srivastava

November 13, 2025 at 6:19 AM IST

iStock.com/wsfurlan

Exports to US Slide Across Sectors for Fourth Consecutive Month

Without urgent intervention, India risks losing market share to Vietnam, Mexico, and China—even in sectors where it previously held a strong position.

Ajay Srivastava

November 2, 2025 at 3:42 PM IST

iStock.com

US Trade Deal: A Three-Step Plan for Protecting India’s Interests

India faces a triple threat: tariffs, sanctions, and pressure to concede on trade. Can New Delhi protect its energy, exports, and digital future?

Ajay Srivastava

November 1, 2025 at 5:07 AM IST

iStock.com/MAGNIFIER

Bihar’s Economy Is Hostage to Its Politics: Its People Deserve Better

Bihar stands at a crossroads where political disinterest threatens to choke its economic promise. Unlocking its vast human potential and demographic dividend requires governance that prioritises growth over electoral gains.

Sharmila Kantha

October 28, 2025 at 8:08 AM IST

iStock.com

India’s Processed Potato Exports Surge as Asia’s Snack Demand Booms

With strong regional demand and expanding domestic capacity, India’s processed potato exports have become a standout success story in the country’s broader push to build value-added agricultural export base

Ajay Srivastava

October 23, 2025 at 7:56 AM IST

iStock.com

India’s Exports to US Fall 20% in September as Trump Tariffs Bite: GTRI

BasisPoint Insight

October 15, 2025 at 4:26 PM IST

Death Syrup: Why Licences Cannot Be Wished Away in All Sectors

The government should mandate traceability of every ingredient used in the pharma industry by deploying tokenisation facilities of the blockchain.

TK Arun

October 8, 2025 at 6:04 AM IST

iStock.com

The Stain Theory of Investing

From tariffs to AI, every setback is being spun into a strategy. Investors should beware India’s growing stain premium before the rinse begins.

Krishnadevan V

October 6, 2025 at 8:36 AM IST

Amey Bane/iStockphoto.com

India’s Growth Story Meets Its Consumption Wall

Tax breaks lift demand for now, but slowing income, weak investment, and US tariffs threaten to sap India’s growth momentum.

Shilpashree Venkatesh

October 4, 2025 at 12:54 PM IST

iStock.com

Export Monitor

Indian Exports May be More than Just Faltering

India’s exports have weakened across major markets. A temporary surge in shipments to the US provided some relief, but rising tariffs have added pressure on growth prospects.

Rajesh Mahapatra

October 4, 2025 at 6:45 AM IST

iStock.com/MAGNIFIER

Monetary Policy

Is the Hunt for a Terminal Repo Rate a Distraction?

Markets may be too eager to bottom-fish for a terminal repo rate. In today’s fluid context, flexibility could matter more than fixation.

Kalyan Ram

October 1, 2025 at 9:34 AM IST

iStock.com

Monetary Policy

RBI Reopens the Door to Accommodation

By keeping the repo unchanged yet signalling policy space, RBI corrects June’s misstep and restores credibility to its accommodative posture.

Kalyan Ram

October 1, 2025 at 8:31 AM IST

Screengrab

Monetary Policy

RBI Should Stay on Hold in October to Preserve Stability

With inflation subdued and growth resilient but external shocks looming, the RBI’s wisest move in October is to pause and preserve stability.

N. Srinivasa Rao

September 30, 2025 at 4:01 AM IST

Anurag Vijay/CC

Smartphones to Pharma, India’s Key Exports to US Take a Hit

Some tariff-free products are collapsing despite facing zero duties, while several highly-taxed sectors are showing surprising resilience

Ajay Srivastava

September 22, 2025 at 3:39 PM IST

iStock.com/wsfurlan

The Bureau

Equities End Lower as Oil Surge and Rupee Weakness Weigh on Sentiment

India Trade Deficit Widens in April, Drags Rupee to Record Low

Govt Imposes Fresh Curbs on Gold Imports Under Advance Authorisation Scheme

India's Precious Metals Duty Hike Widens Dubai Arbitrage

India Approves ₹375 Billion Scheme to Incentivise Coal Gasification Projects

RBI Governor Says Will Need to Act If Price Pressures Get Entrenched: Bloomberg

Govt Raises Gold Import Duty Amid Oil Shock, Forex Concerns

Govt Approves MSP for Kharif Season, Raises Support Price for Paddy by ₹72/100 kg

Deficient Monsoon, Iran War: A Double Shock to India’s Rural Economy

Learning to Shoot: I Tried to Fly Before I Could Walk