India's exports rise 15.5% in June, trade deficit widens to USD 30.43 billion

India's exports rose by 15.5 per cent to USD 40.41 billion in June, even as the trade deficit widened to USD 30.43 billion. Imports in June went up by about 31 per cent to USD 70.84 billion. During April-June this fiscal, exports increased 15.92 per cent to USD 129.32 billion, while imports rose 19.89 per cent to USD 216.18 billion. Gold imports in the first quarter of this fiscal year rose to USD 11.01 billion from USD 7.49 billion in April-June last year. India's exports to West Asian countries rose 7.29 per cent to USD 5 billion in June, Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agarwal said in a press briefing on trade data. Agarwal attributed the increase in the country's inbound shipments to higher imports of crude oil, electronics, machinery, and precious metals.