India Dec Trade Deficit at $14.8b

India’s trade deficit for December 2017 was estimated at $14.88 billion as against $10.55 billion during December 2016.
Exports during December 2017 showed a positive growth of 12.36% in dollar terms vis-a-vis December 2016. Exports have been on a positive trajectory since August 2016 to December 2017 with a dip of 1.1% in the month of October 2017,Indiainfoline reported.
Exports during December 2017 were valued at $27 billion as compared to $24 billion during December 2016, registering a rise of 6.31%.
During December 2017, major commodity groups of export showing positive growth over the corresponding month of last year were engineering goods (25.32%), petroleum products (25.15%), gems & jewelry (2.38%), organic and inorganic chemicals (31.36%), and drugs and pharmaceuticals (6.95%).
Cumulative value of exports for the period April-December 2017-18 registered a positive growth of 12.05% in dollar terms and 7.70% in rupee terms over the same period last year.
Non-petroleum and non-gems and jewelry exports in December 2017 were valued at $20.18 billion against $18 billion in December 2016, an increase of 12.06%. Non-petroleum and non-gems and jewelry exports during April-December 2017-18 were valued at $16.37 billion as compared to $14.46 billion for the corresponding period in 2016-17, an increase of 13.16%.
Imports during December 2017 were valued at $41.91 billion, which was 21.12% higher in dollar terms and 14.59% higher in rupee terms over the level of imports valued at $34.60 billion in December, 2016.
Cumulative value of imports for the period April-December 2017-18 was $33.83 billion as against $27.78 billion registering a positive growth of 21.76% in dollar terms and 17% in rupee terms over the same period last year.