New Delhi | 16-01-2026: India’s exports remained almost steady in December 2025, but imports increased sharply, leading to a bigger trade gap, according to data released by the Commerce Ministry.
India exported goods and services worth $74.01 billion in December, slightly lower than $74.77 billion a year ago. Imports, however, rose to $80.94 billion, compared with $76.23 billion last year. This pushed the trade deficit up to $6.92 billion in December.
What happened in goods trade
Exports of physical goods rose slightly to $38.51 billion. Indian exporters continued to sell electronics, medicines, food items, marine products and engineering goods to overseas markets. 
At the same time, imports increased strongly to $63.55 billion, which mainly caused the trade gap to widen.
What India imported more
In December, India imported more of several key items, including:
Crude oil and petroleum-related products
Industrial raw materials
Electronic components
Machinery and equipment
Chemicals and fertilizers
These imports are mainly used by factories, power plants and infrastructure projects across the country.
Imports that came down
Some imports declined during the month, offering limited relief. These included:
Gold
Leather and leather products
Wood and wood products
Transport equipment
Iron and steel
Textiles and fabric-related items
Services give some relief
Exports from the services sector, such as IT and business services, stood at $35.50 billion, slightly lower than last year. Services imports also dipped to $17.38 billion, helping India earn more from services than it spent.
Where India traded more
India exported more goods to China, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Spain and the UAE during December. On the import side, higher purchases came from China, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Peru and Chile.
Also read: Rupee Falls Against the US Dollar: How a Weak Currency Impacts India’s Common and Poor Citizens
The big picture
The December data shows that India’s exports are holding steady, but higher imports are increasing pressure on the trade balance. Strong demand for Indian electronics, food products and services is helping the economy cope with global uncertainty.
