NITI Aayog Releases 9th Edition of 'Trade Watch Quarterly' Highlighting 15.5% Total Trade Growth in Q1 FY27

NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Ashok Kumar Lahiri has released the ninth edition of the policy think tank's 'Trade Watch Quarterly' report in New Delhi, detailing India's international trade performance for the first quarter of FY27 (April–June 2026). The assessment shows that despite global trade policy uncertainties and geopolitical tensions, India’s merchandise and services trade reached $506.9 billion in Q1 FY27, recording a 15.5% year-on-year growth. The report emphasizes that global goods trade expanded by 12.5% to reach $13.7 trillion in the first half of calendar year 2026, while global commercial services expanded by 10.5%. India's merchandise export growth was driven primarily by mineral fuels, electrical machinery, nuclear reactors, iron and steel, and automotive shipments. Meanwhile, capital goods, electronic components, and copper imports grew steadily, reflecting strong domestic industrial capital expenditure and manufacturing activity. This edition's thematic focus centers on India's trade in metals and ores—a strategic sector essential for industrial manufacturing, green energy transition, and defense technologies. The study analyzes India's growing import reliance on critical minerals and higher-value non-ferrous metals while highlighting structural opportunities to boost domestic value addition and processing capacity. The publication also documents market diversification, noting that African nations including Tanzania and South Africa have emerged among India's top ten export destinations, demonstrating broader trade integration with high-growth emerging economies.