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Informist, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026

 

NEW DELHI – India's merchandise exports rose more than 15% in the first five months of the current financial year despite global uncertainities, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said. "India had not allowed global challenges to hold it back but had instead sought opportunities within them," Goyal said, while addressing the BRICS Women's Business Alliance Women-led Development Conference Wednesday.

 

India had set "aggressive targets" for the current year despite the prevailing headwinds, Goyal said. The country's merchandise trade exports in Apr-Jul were at $173.78 billion, up 17% on year, according to data shared by the commerce ministry. For Apr-Jul, merchandise imports rose over 19% on year to $292.38 billion.

 

The minister also said foreign trade should not be viewed only as a collateralised business, but as an opportunity to integrate societies and businesses. Foreign trade should provide opportunities to marginalised sections that may otherwise never imagine going overseas, Goyal said. He also called upon BRICS countries to work together to expand opportunities for women entrepreneurs and women-led enterprises in international trade, stressing the need for easier access to credit, markets, and predictable rules of business.

 

"India's trade in goods with its partners has tremendous potential for growth," Goyal said, adding that women-led exporters would expand their businesses many times over in the years ahead. The minister said he expects the BRICS Leaders' Summit to result in more concrete agendas, action plans, and outcomes, with 2030 to serve as the stepping stone towards a longer-term partnership going ahead, according to a press release by the commerce ministry.

 

India, which currently holds the BRICS presidency, is hosting a two-day summit from Sept. 12. The 11-member bloc's other founding members are Brazil, Russia, China, and South Africa. Other member nations of the bloc are Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. The bloc aims to promote unified emerging economic perspectives in multilateral forums. At the previous summit in 2025, the bloc had resolved to increase interoperability of its payment systems to make cross-border transactions more efficient.  End

 

US$1 = INR 95.34

 

Reported by Shweta

Edited by Avishek Dutta

 

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