India's 1st half trade deficit $177.64bn, imports hit $437.53bn
Business
India's trade deficit for the first half of FY27 (April-September 2026) hit $177.64 billion, and nearly 64% of that is thanks to imports from China and Russia.
Even though exports grew by 18.5%, imports jumped too, reaching $437.53 billion.
China remains India's largest import partner
China stayed India's biggest import partner, with $80.35 billion worth of goods coming in, while Russian imports shot up by 52%.
Meanwhile, the United States remained India's largest export destination with sales up 11.1%, giving India a bilateral merchandise trade surplus with the United States, showing why diversifying trade partners really matters right now.