India’s exports rise in April despite West Asia crisis

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday said India’s exports recorded a healthy increase during the first three weeks of April despite disruptions caused by the ongoing crisis in West Asia.

Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, Goyal said exporters remained optimistic even as shipping routes continued to face challenges linked to the conflict in the region.

“There is an increase in exports during the first three weeks of April as compared to the same period of last April… Despite the war in West Asia, there is tremendous enthusiasm among domestic exporters,” Goyal said.

The commerce ministry is scheduled to release April trade data on May 15.

The statement comes after official data released on Wednesday showed that exports registered their steepest decline in five months in March. Shipments fell 7.44 per cent to USD 38.92 billion amid trade uncertainty and geopolitical tensions. Exports to West Asia declined by more than 50 per cent during the month.

On shipments to West Asia, Goyal said consignments were being rerouted because the Strait of Hormuz remains “still a challenge”.
The ongoing crisis has disrupted the movement of cargo vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow shipping route between Iran and Oman/UAE that is widely used for transporting Indian consignments to the Middle East.

Responding to questions on negotiations for a trade agreement with the US, Goyal said discussions between the two sides had been positive.

“We had very good discussions, I think about a week ago. Our team is back, and we continue to engage,” he said.

Earlier this month, an Indian delegation returned from Washington after holding three days of talks with US officials on the proposed first phase of the bilateral trade agreement.

The discussions covered areas including market access, non-tariff measures, technical barriers to trade, customs and trade facilitation, investment promotion, economic security alignment and digital trade.

India and the US had issued a joint statement on February 7 outlining a framework for an interim trade agreement focused on reciprocal and mutually beneficial trade. The framework now requires recalibration following changes in the US tariff landscape.

Goyal also said India has finalised several free trade agreements with countries and blocs including the UAE, UK, EU, EFTA, Australia, Mauritius and Oman.

“Another 12 (FTAs) are on the anvil,” he said.

India is currently negotiating trade agreements with Chile, Peru, Israel, the Gulf Cooperation Council, Canada, South Africa and neighbouring regions, Brazil and neighbouring countries, as well as Russia and the Eurasian region.

On foreign direct investment inflows, Goyal said India’s FDI inflows “would probably cross about 87-88 billion dollars, maybe 90 billion dollars” in 2025-26.

Total FDI inflows, including reinvested earnings, stood at USD 73.31 billion during April-December 2025-26.