Impact of coronavirus outbreak a mixed experience for India's exporters

Sectors like garments receive fresh orders, while pharma and diamonds see a dip

India’s exporters have had mixed experiences with their global clients after the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) — some sectors have seen a major decline in trade, while others are seeing clients queue up at their doorsteps looking for alternative sources to reduce their dependence on China.

Sample this: Exports of cut and polished diamonds fell about 41 per cent in February to $1.38 billion, one of the sharpest monthly falls in a decade. To be sure, the sector has been witnessing a slowdown for a while — in the 11 months of this fiscal, exports are down 19.38