Merchandise exports from India grew 0.67 per cent at $41.97 billion in March, mainly due to the front-loading of shipments in anticipation of US President Donald Trump’s imposition of reciprocal tariffs from April 9, which has been temporarily paused. Imports witnessed 11 per cent growth year-on-year (Y-o-Y) at $63.51 billion, which resulted in a widening of the trade deficit to $21.54 billion in the month, as compared to $15.31 billion a year earlier.
The trade deficit stood at $14 billion in February. The rise in imports was mainly due to a sharp increase in inbound shipments of oil and gold, according to the data released by the Department of Commerce on Monday.
Source: The Business Standard
The Indian government has established an inter-ministerial group to monitor potential import surges due to global trade tensions and high tariffs on countries like China and Vietnam. This move aims to prevent the diversion of goods to India and address concerns about increased inflow of US agricultural products.
Source: The Economic Times
As President Trump intensifies his economic war on China with tariffs as high as 145%, India finds itself presented with a golden opportunity to take China's place in global supply chains. But is India’s manufacturing sector, still hamstrung by skills shortages, red tape, and infrastructural gaps, ready to seize the moment? From battery workshops near Delhi to Apple’s iPhone suppliers in Tamil Nadu, the world’s eyes are on India — a country poised for potential, but still racing to catch up.
Source: The Economic Times
ITC Chairman Sanjiv Puri has urged expedited bilateral economic pacts and free trade agreements to expand India's competitive edge amid global trade uncertainties. He has cautioned against potential dumping from countries facing tariffs and emphasised the need for agile monitoring. Bilateral economic pacts and free trade agreements must be “absolutely” expedited, ITC chairman Sanjiv Puri told ET, as a tariff-torn world scrambles to redraw trade frontiers that could help expand India’s bailiwick in several sectors where it is competitive.
Source: The Economic Times
NITI Aayog proposes Rs 8,000 crore financial support, alongside labor and regulatory reforms, to boost India's hand and power tools exports. The aim is to capture a larger global market share, targeting $25 billion in exports and creating 3.5 million jobs. Addressing cost disadvantages and developing world-class clusters are crucial for achieving competitiveness against dominant players like China.
Source: The Economic Times
Gujarat is making a significant comeback in India's textile exports, becoming the second largest exporter with $5,749 million in 2023-24, closely following Tamil Nadu. Experts believe the state's new textile policy could soon tip the scales. While Gujarat has consistently maintained a strong presence in the cotton yarn and fabric segments, industry insiders say the state has yet to unlock its full potential in the global textile supply chain. Experts believe the newly launched textile policy could be the game-changer. By encouraging fresh investments, especially in garment manufacturing, it aims to turn the state into a global textile powerhouse. The policy focuses on integrated infrastructure, technical textiles and higher value-added production, which could strengthen Gujarat's position in coming years.
Source: The Times of India
According to the March export performance report published by İTHİB, Türkiye’s textile and raw materials industry exports increased by 0.2 percent in the first quarter of the year compared to the same period of the previous year and reached 2 billion 898 million USD. In March 2025, the industry reached an export figure of 1 billion USD with a 1.8 percent increase, while a 10.5 percent increase was seen compared to the previous month. In the same period, Türkiye’s general exports increased by 3.2 percent to 23.3 billion USD, while the industry’s share in the country’s general exports was 4.4 percent. During this period, industrial product exports increased by 1.7 percent and reached 16.5 billion USD. In the first quarter of the year, Asia and Oceania countries, as well as Egypt, stood out as places where the industry recorded high increases.
Source: Textilegenece
The volume of goods exported from the Netherlands, adjusted for the number of working days, rose by 2.9 per cent year on year in February 2025, according to Statistics Netherlands (CBS).
The increase was mainly driven by higher exports of machinery, chemical products, and petroleum goods. Imports also recorded an uptick, with volumes rising 3.6 per cent compared to February 2024, as per CBS. CBS’s monthly Exports Radar suggests that conditions for exports have become less unfavorable in April than they were in February. The improved outlook is underpinned by a more positive sentiment among manufacturers in Germany and the eurozone—two of the Netherlands’ key trading partners. Additionally, Dutch manufacturers reported less pessimism regarding incoming foreign orders.
Source: Fibre21fashion
