New Delhi, Oct. 16 -- India's overall merchandise exports rose over 18.5% to a record $260 billion in the first half of the current financial year, and may close the year on a high. Unveiling trade data for the first half (April-September) of 2026-27, commerce secretary Rajesh Agrawal said India's overall exports are on a fast-track, led by merchandise exports. "If the trend of last year continues, where merchandise exports in second half of the year were higher than the first half of the year, then we are looking at the merchandise exports much ahead of $500 billion in the current (financial) year." Cumulative merchandise export in the first half (H1) of 2026-27 stood at $259.89 billion as against $219.30 billion in H1 of 2025-26, register...