India's merchandise exports surge 15% in April-August this fiscal despite global uncertainties: Piyush Goyal
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said India’s merchandise exports grew by around 15 per cent during April-August this fiscal despite global uncertainties. Talking at the BRICS Women’s Business Alliance (WBA) Women-Led Development Summit 2026, he said that huge potential exists between India and BRICS nations to increase trade in goods and services. He stated ‘Despite all the turmoil that the world is going through today...we are well aware of the softening of internal trade. I am happy to share that our merchandise exports from India have grown between April and August, in the first five months of this fiscal, by upward of 15 per cent.’
The commerce ministry will release the exports and imports data for August formally on September 15. During April-July this fiscal, exports jumped 17.04 per cent to $173.78 billion, and imports climbed 19.27 per cent to $292.38 billion. Goyal suggested that BRICS members support women entrepreneurs through financial intermediaries. He said ‘If we can commit our governments to encourage women-owned enterprises to take greater part in international expositions, conferences, seminars, exhibitions, business forums, it will actually help us engage on many more platforms than an annual Women Business Alliance meeting.’
He urged BRICS countries to work collectively to create greater opportunities for women entrepreneurs and women-led businesses in international trade, emphasising the need for easier access to credit, markets and predictable rules of business. He mentioned that an entrepreneur seeking to enter international business has to cross three key borders: access to credit, access to buyers and markets, and access to predictable rules that encourage free trade and open opportunities.
