India’s FTA Exports Soar: Singapore & Sri Lanka Lead Growth in Q1 FY27

India’s exports to its Free Trade Agreement (FTA) partners recorded substantial growth during the first quarter of fiscal year 2026-27, according to recent data from the commerce ministry. Outbound shipments to key partners like Singapore and Sri Lanka more than doubled in this period, significantly contributing to the nation’s overall export momentum.

Dominant Growth Across Key Partners

Exports to Singapore surged by 101.2% in April-June 2026, reaching USD 6.52 billion, up from USD 3.24 billion in the previous year’s corresponding quarter.

Shipments to Sri Lanka witnessed an even higher increase of 123.8%, climbing to USD 2.35 billion from USD 1.05 billion.

The ASEAN region also saw a considerable rise, with exports growing by 61.6% to USD 14.61 billion in Q1 FY27, compared to USD 9.04 billion last year.

Exports to the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) region expanded by 36.6%, reaching USD 8.40 billion from USD 6.15 billion.

Broader Regional Performance and Operational FTAs

Beyond the leading partners, several other countries demonstrated strong export growth from India. Exports to Malaysia increased by 75.2% to USD 2.54 billion, while those to Australia grew by 25.2% to USD 2.68 billion.

The United Kingdom saw an 11.1% rise, with exports reaching USD 3.69 billion. It is important to note that the India-UK trade agreement became operational on July 15, 2026, just after the quarter concluded.

Exports to South Korea and Japan also showed robust increases, rising by 22.6% to USD 1.95 billion and 22.4% to USD 1.75 billion, respectively.

Further contributions to export growth came from Oman, up 26.4% to USD 1.39 billion, and Nepal, which saw an 18.1% increase to USD 2.28 billion.

Smaller but significant increases were noted for Bhutan, rising 16.1% to USD 360 million, and Thailand, with a 6% increase to USD 1.23 billion.

India currently maintains 17 Free Trade Agreements, with 16 of these actively operational. These agreements encompass a broad range of partners including Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, Mauritius, the UAE, Australia, the European Union, ASEAN, and the EFTA bloc.

An official statement confirmed that this widespread growth across key FTA partners played a crucial role in bolstering India’s overall export performance. Total exports for April-June 2026 collectively increased by 15.92% to USD 129.32 billion.