NITI Aayog Unveils 2nd Edition of Trade Watch Quarterly

29 Mar 2025 CW Team

During Q2 FY’25, India recorded a steady trade growth of 5.67 per cent in the April–September 2024 period compared to the same timeframe in 2023. Notably, copper entered the top ten import categories, with a significant 28 per cent year-on-year surge, primarily driven by increased infrastructure demand. While export composition remained largely consistent with the previous quarter, electrical machinery and nuclear reactors showed notable year-on-year growth. In contrast, mineral fuels and iron & steel experienced declines. North America and the European Union accounted for nearly 40 per cent of India’s exports, while Northeast and West Asia continued as major import partners.

This edition places special emphasis on the textile sector, a vital contributor to India’s industrial output, employment generation, and export earnings. India ranks among the top ten textile exporters globally, holding a 4 per cent share in international trade. The country maintains a competitive edge in natural fibre-based textiles, with cotton and carpets representing about 70 per cent of its textile exports. However, global demand is increasingly shifting toward man-made and technical textiles, presenting India with new avenues for diversification, higher value addition, and improved integration into global supply chains.

The insights provided in the publication aim to support policymakers, industry stakeholders, and researchers in shaping strategic trade decisions and enhancing India’s global trade presence.

The second edition of Trade Watch Quarterly for Q2 of the financial year 2024-25 (July to September) was officially released on March 28, 2025, in New Delhi by Dr Arvind Virmani, Member of NITI Aayog. Published by NITI Aayog, the report offers a comprehensive overview of India’s trade performance, analysing global demand-supply trends, sector-specific developments, and emerging opportunities in the international trade landscape. During Q2 FY’25, India recorded a steady trade growth of 5.67 per cent in the April–September 2024 period compared to the same timeframe in 2023. Notably, copper entered the top ten import categories, with a significant 28 per cent year-on-year surge, primarily driven by increased infrastructure demand. While export composition remained largely consistent with the previous quarter, electrical machinery and nuclear reactors showed notable year-on-year growth. In contrast, mineral fuels and iron & steel experienced declines. North America and the European Union accounted for nearly 40 per cent of India’s exports, while Northeast and West Asia continued as major import partners. This edition places special emphasis on the textile sector, a vital contributor to India’s industrial output, employment generation, and export earnings. India ranks among the top ten textile exporters globally, holding a 4 per cent share in international trade. The country maintains a competitive edge in natural fibre-based textiles, with cotton and carpets representing about 70 per cent of its textile exports. However, global demand is increasingly shifting toward man-made and technical textiles, presenting India with new avenues for diversification, higher value addition, and improved integration into global supply chains. The insights provided in the publication aim to support policymakers, industry stakeholders, and researchers in shaping strategic trade decisions and enhancing India’s global trade presence.

Infrastructure Urban

02 Jun 2026

VECV Sales Rise 7.8 Per Cent In May 2026

VE Commercial Vehicles recorded sales of 7,978 units in May 2026, compared to 7,401 units in May 2025, registering growth of 7.8 per cent. This included 7,789 units from the Eicher brand and 189 units from the Volvo brand.Eicher branded trucks and buses reported sales of 7,789 units during the month, up 7.3 per cent from 7,258 units a year earlier. In the domestic commercial vehicle market, Eicher sales rose 9.1 per cent to 7,375 units from 6,758 units in May 2025.Exports declined 17.2 per cent to 414 units from 500 units in the corresponding month last year. Volvo Trucks and Volvo Buses recor..

Infrastructure Urban

02 Jun 2026

Table Space Strengthens DESYN Leadership Team

Table Space has announced strategic leadership appointments within DESYN, its integrated Design and Build business, as it looks to strengthen operations across key enterprise and GCC markets in India. DESYN was launched as a strategic extension of Table Space’s workspace solutions portfolio to meet rising demand for agile, high-quality and rapidly deployable enterprise workspaces.Shruti Ookabhoy has joined DESYN as Executive Director and will lead the Design vertical, focusing on design capability, operational excellence and team development across markets. She brings over 22 years of experi..

Infrastructure Transport

02 Jun 2026

Concord Associate Bags Rs 2.79 Bn Kavach Order

Concord Control Systems said its associate company, Progota India, has received a Rs 2.79 bn domestic order from Indian Railways for the supply, installation, testing and commissioning of on-board Kavach 4.0 loco equipment.The order is scheduled for execution within 12 months and strengthens Concord’s role in India’s railway safety and signalling ecosystem. Kavach is India’s indigenous automatic train protection system, designed to improve operational safety by helping prevent signal passing at danger and reducing collision risks.Gaurav Lath, Joint Managing Director, Concord Control Syst..