New Delhi, March 17 -- India's merchandise trade showed mixed trends in February 2026, with exports remaining largely stable while imports surged sharply, widening the trade deficit and raising concerns over the impact of the ongoing Middle East conflict, according to a research report by ICICI Bank.
Looking ahead, the report flagged the Middle East conflict as a key risk for FY27, with potential impacts on exports, remittances and oil prices if tensions persist.
Assuming average crude prices of USD 80 per barrel, the goods deficit could rise to USD 383 billion, with the current account deficit widening to 1.4pc of GDP.
Additionally, heightened global uncertainty is expected to keep foreign portfolio investment flows subdued, putting pre...