Continuing its upward trend, India’s exports in first seven months of current fiscal year has gone up by 13.67 per cent amounting to $28.23 billion compared to $ 24.84 billion exports in the same period last fiscal.Marginally higher than the figure of 13.49 per cent recorded during the period ending September has bolstered hopes of achieving the 12 per cent target set for 2002-03.According to the data released by the Commerce and Industry Ministry on Sunday, India’s exports in the month of October increased by 9.92 per cent to $ 4.10 billion mainly accounting to increased Christmas demand. India exported goods worth $ 3.71 billion during the same month in 2001-02.The imports during April to October 2002 were valued at $ 33.78 billion, up 12.32 per cent over last year’s $ 30.07 billion imports during the same period. The imports, meanwhile, in October stood at $ 5.43 billion, up 32.86 per cent over the level of imports valued at $ 4.09 billion in October 2001. In rupee terms, the exports increased by 10.73 per cent at Rs 19,768.88 crore in October 2002 as against Rs 17,853.31 crore in the same month a year ago.During April to October, exports rose by 17.21 per cent at Rs 1,37,575.89 crore compared to Rs 1,17,372.01 crore in the same period last year.Imports in Rs terms increased by 33.83 per cent in October 2002 to Rs 26,301.51 crore against Rs 19,652.96 crore a-year ago in the same month.In the first seven months the imports rose by 15.85 per cent during April-October 2002 to Rs 1,64,530.91 crore against Rs 1,42,020.46 crore in the same period last year.The trade deficit stood at $ 1.35 billion in October 2002 as against $ 374.77 million in October 2001. The trade deficit in Rs terms stood at Rs 6,532.63 crore in October 2002 against Rs 1,799.65 a-year ago month while the deficit in April-October 2002 stood at Rs 26,955.02 crore compared to Rs. 24,648 crore in the same period last year.
