October exports up 42% to $35.47 bn, trade deficit narrows to $19.9 bn

Growth driven by engineering goods, petroleum products, gems and jewellery, and organic and inorganic chemicals

Merchandise exports continued to remain robust in the month of October, rising 42 per cent on-year to $35.47 billion, preliminary data released by the commerce and industry ministry showed.

The growth was driven by higher demand for items such as engineering goods, petroleum products, gems and jewellery as well as organic and inorganic chemicals.

Outbound shipments grew significantly as compared with the pre-Covid period, up 35.21 per cent from $26.23 billion in October 2019.

On a cumulative basis, India’s merchandise exports in April-October stood at $232.58 billion, up 54.51 per cent YoY and rising by a fourth over the same