New Delhi, Feb. 21 -- India's Reserve Bank of India reported that the country's merchandise trade deficit widened in January 2026, as the value of imports grew faster than exports, according to its latest bulletin.

The expansion in the trade gap reflected a sharper rise in inbound shipments even as export performance remained uneven, the central bank noted in the State of the Economy chapter.

Imports Grow Faster Than Exports Data released for the month showed that merchandise imports surged significantly, driven in part by higher shipments of gold, silver and other commodities, while exports experienced more modest growth.

According to government figures, the merchandise trade deficit widened to approximately USD 34.68 billion in Janua...