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Niti Aayog Urges Export Diversification Amid External Headwinds
Niti Aayog says India should sell its goods to more countries.
This could help protect the economy when problems happen in other parts of the world.
Tanzania and South Africa became important new destinations for Indian exports.
India’s goods exports grew, but its imports grew even faster.
This created a large trade deficit.
Services exports, such as computer and business services, continued to perform well.
India also buys many important minerals from other countries.
The report says India could export more metals and ores because its share of the world market is still small.
Niti Aayog Vice-Chairman Ashok Lahiri called for further diversification of India’s exports.
Tanzania and South Africa entered India’s top ten export destinations, replacing Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia.
India’s goods exports rose 16% year-on-year to $129.5 billion in the quarter, while imports increased 19.8%.
Services exports grew 9.6% to $106.7 billion in the first quarter of 2026-27, producing a $52.22 billion surplus.
The report highlighted rising dependence on critical mineral imports and opportunities to expand metals exports.
- Who
- Niti Aayog Vice-Chairman Ashok Lahiri and the government think tank’s trade report.
- What
- A call for greater export and energy-source diversification, alongside findings on India’s trade performance, mineral imports and metals-export potential.
- Where
- India and its trading markets, including Southeast Asia, East Africa, Latin America and West Africa.
- When
- The comments were made on Wednesday; the report covers the June quarter and the first quarter of 2026-27, while some data covers 2025.
- Why
- To sustain export growth and reduce the impact of external headwinds, including disruptions associated with the West Asia war.
Key facts
- Goods exports
- $129.5 billion, up 16% year-on-year in the quarter
- Goods imports
- $216.1 billion, up 19.8% year-on-year in the quarter
- Merchandise trade deficit
- $86.6 billion
- Services exports
- $106.7 billion in the first quarter of 2026-27, up 9.6% year-on-year
- Net services surplus
- $52.22 billion
- Critical minerals
- Copper imports rose to $11.8 billion in 2025; India remained fully dependent on nickel and cobalt imports
- Digitally delivered services
- India exported $317 billion in 2025, up 15% year-on-year
- Metals and ores opportunity
- India accounted for 1.8% of global metals and ores import demand in 2025
Quotes
Ashok Lahiri
Niti Aayog vice-chairman
“We shouldn't suffer from any export cynicism”
livemint.com
Trade Watch report
Quarterly trade report issued by Niti Aayog
“Export markets showed greater diversification, with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and East Africa recording the strongest growth at 61.3% and 89.0%, respectively, driven by higher shipments of petroleum products, electrical machinery, engineering goods and agricultural products”
livemint.com
Sources
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