International shipping port with cargo ships and containers
New Delhi, India – India’s export performance in the first quarter of the 2026-27 fiscal year has shown significant growth, particularly in trade with its Free Trade Agreement (FTA) partners. Data released by the commerce ministry reveals that outbound shipments to key nations, including Singapore and Sri Lanka, have more than doubled compared to the same period last year.
During April-June 2026, exports to Singapore saw a remarkable surge of 101.2 per cent, reaching USD 6.52 billion from USD 3.24 billion in the previous year. Similarly, shipments to Sri Lanka experienced a substantial increase of 123.8 per cent, climbing to USD 2.35 billion from USD 1.05 billion.
The broader ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) region also benefited from this export momentum, with shipments growing by 61.6 per cent to USD 14.61 billion in the first quarter of the current fiscal year, up from USD 9.04 billion in April-June 2025-26.
This positive trend extends to the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) region, where exports rose by 36.6 per cent to USD 8.40 billion.
India currently has 16 operational FTAs with various countries and blocs, including Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, Mauritius, the UAE, Australia, the European Union, ASEAN, and the EFTA bloc. The robust performance in Q1 suggests that these agreements are effectively facilitating increased trade volumes and contributing to India’s export-led growth strategy.
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