Engineering exports recorded around 3.3% cumulative growth year-on-year during the first five months of fiscal 2024-25

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September-2024 engineering exports hit peak growth for fiscal 2024-2025

Indian engineering exports continued its growth run for the fifth straight month to September 2024 and this time the growth was in double digit after June 2024 at 10.55 percent. Cumulative exports during Apr-Sep 2024 also recorded 5.25 percent growth over the same period last fiscal. September 2024 saw second highest engineering exports in 2024-25 after May 2024. Share of engineering in overall merchandise exports was at an impressive 28.41 percent in September 2024 and at 26.37 percent on a cumulative basis. Growth in engineering exports in September 2024 was attributed to decent rise in shipments of Aircrafts, spacecrafts and parts; industrial machinery; electrical machinery; and medical and scientific instruments. Decline in iron and steel exports moderated to just 2 percent that also contributed to higher overall growth of engineering exports in the month concerned.

Trade Flow Export figures(in $ billion) Growth (%)
Sep-2023 Sep-2024 Apr-Sep 2023-24 Apr-Sep 2024-25 Sep-2024 over Sep-2023 Apr-Sep 2023-24 over Apr-Sep 2024-25
Engineering exports 8.89 9.82 53.42 56.23 10.55% 5.25%
Overall merchandise exports 34.41 34.58 211.08 213.22 0.51% 1.02%
Share of engineering (%) 25.83% 28.41% 25.31% 26.37% --- ---
Service Exports 28.42 30.61 163.92 180.00 7.71% 9.81%

Source : Compiled from data by DGCI&S and Quick Estimates published by the Government of India

Overall Engineering Exports vs Engineering Exports Excluding Steel Segment (Values in USD Million)

Observation: Excluding the export of iron and steel, engineering exports recorded a higher growth both on a monthly as well as cumulative basis as shown in the table above. Exports of Iron and Steel conceded 2.1 percent year-on-year decline in September 2024 and 26.1 percent year-on-year decline during April-September 2024-25

Trade Flow Export in Sep-2023 Export in Sep-2024 Growth (%) Exports in Apr-Sep 2023-24 Exports in Apr-Sep 2024-25 Growth (%)
Overall engineering exports 8886.54 9824.33 10.55 53421.20 56226.95 4.21
Engineering exports excluding Iron and Steel 8131.24 9084.72 11.72 47190.03 51620.12 9.39

Source : DGCI&S, Govt. of India


Engineering Exports: Monthly Trend

The monthly engineering figures for 2024-25 vis-à-vis 2023-24 are shown below as per the latest DGCI&S estimates:

Table 1: Engineering Exports: Monthly Trend in 2024-25

US$ million

Month 2023-24 2024-25 Growth (%)
April 8949.36 8547.86 -4.49
May 9300.62 9991.25 7.43
June 8515.72 9389.74 10.26
April-June 26765.71 27928.86 4.35
July 8720.3 9039.7 3.66
August 9048.65 9434.06 4.26
September 8886.54 9824.33 10.55
July-September 26655.49 28298.09 6.16
April-September 53421.2 56226.95 5.25

Source : DGCIS, Govt. of India

TOP 25 ENGINEERING EXPORT DESTINATIONS IN April-September 2024-25

We now look at the export scenario of the top 25 nations that had highest demand for Indian engineering products during September 2024 over September 2023 as well as in cumulative terms during April-September 2024-25 vis-à-vis April-September 2023-24. The data clearly shows that top 25 countries contribute 75.9% of total engineering exports.

Table 2: Engineering exports country wise

(US$ million)

Countries Sep-2023 Sep-2024 Growth (%) April-September 2023-24 April-September 2024-25 Growth (%)
U S A 1435.97 1551.56 8.05% 8734.23 9278.41 6.23%
U ARAB EMTS 448.36 672.13 49.91% 2695.4 3902.86 44.8%
SAUDI ARAB 455.84 388.7 -14.73% 2208.08 2613.55 18.36%
FRANCE 186.8 384.51 105.84% 1075.47 1155.04 7.4%
GERMANY 336.18 361.21 7.44% 2089.78 2087.09 -0.13%
U K 265.26 324.96 22.51% 1815.85 1942.28 6.96%
MEXICO 214.83 300.88 40.06% 1583.54 1892.07 19.48%
SINGAPORE 348.31 288.49 -17.18% 1705.92 1960.99 14.95%
SOUTH AFRICA 202.92 277.86 36.93% 1152.07 1172.39 1.76%
CHINA P RP 260.24 264.2 1.52% 1228.6 1342.8 9.3%
JAPAN 170.09 256.99 51.09% 888.43 1165 31.13%
ITALY 224.78 202.48 -9.92% 1962.85 1487.76 -24.2%
TURKEY 272.59 199.7 -26.74% 1453.33 1663.02 14.43%
NEPAL 175.36 198.94 13.44% 1175.27 1095.67 -6.77%
KOREA RP 174.53 192.73 10.43% 1400.15 1286.41 -8.12%
BRAZIL 149.02 192.58 29.23% 1004.32 1097.55 9.28%
THAILAND 162.53 179.65 10.54% 914.08 998.35 9.22%
BANGLADESH PR 169.72 175.95 3.67% 1136.18 1024.23 -9.85%
OMAN 39.93 174.57 337.25% 422.9 465.62 10.1%
NETHERLAND 163.97 151.46 -7.63% 1038.29 946.29 -8.86%
SPAIN 93.86 150.29 60.12% 787.52 694.47 -11.82%
INDONESIA 285.71 142.98 -49.96% 1577.59 1087.75 -31.05%
BELGIUM 117.03 138.35 18.22% 816.13 714.15 -12.5%
VIETNAM SOC REP 108.12 121.55 12.42% 577.96 698.32 20.82%
MALAYSIA 178.31 114.61 -35.73% 911.4 724.68 -20.49%
Total engineering exports to top 25 countries 6640.28 7407.33 11.55% 40355.33 42496.75 5.31%
Total engineering exports 8886.54 9824.33 10.55% 53421.2 56226.95 5.25%

Source : DGCI&S

REGION WISE INDIA’S ENGINEERING EXPORTS

The following table depicts region wise India’s engineering exports for April-September 2024 as compared to April-September 2023.

Table 3: Region wise engineering exports in April-February 2023-2024 vis-à-vis April-September 2023-2024

(US$ million)

Regions Sep-2023 Sep-2024 Growth (%) April-September 2023-24 April-September 2024-25 Growth (%)
NORTH AMERICA 1741.02 1949.7 11.99% 10901.79 11778.35 8.04%
EUROPEAN UNION 1488.12 1910.94 28.41% 10081.31 9701.71 -3.77%
WANA 1271.12 1614.29 27% 7339.05 9108.04 24.1%
ASEAN 1146.77 907.82 -20.84% 6104.7 5979.61 -2.05%
SSA( Sub Saharan Africa) 696.39 794.8 14.13% 4037.47 3947.24 -2.23%
N E ASIA 683.21 770.41 12.76% 3987.81 4277.14 7.26%
OTHER EUROPE 572.12 556.49 -2.73% 3459.47 3843.53 11.1%
SOUTH ASIA 543.35 521.49 -4.02% 2999.9 3040.34 1.35%
LATIN AMERICA 502.66 510 1.46% 2927.36 2927.19 -0.01%
CIS 120.11 164.24 36.74% 810.96 919.09 13.33%
OCEANIA 119.47 118.61 -0.72% 758.73 689.03 -9.19%
OTHERS 2.2 5.54 151.79% 12.65 15.69 23.96%

Note : *Figures have been rounded off.

Source : DGCI&S **Myanmar has been included in ASEAN and not in South Asia, since ASEAN is a formal economic grouping.

PRODUCT PANEL WISE ENGINEERING EXPORTS

In this section we look at the Engineering Panel wise exports for the month of September 2024 vis-à-vis September 2023 as well as the cumulative exports for April-September 2024-25 vis- à-vis April-September 2023-24. These are indicated in the tables below.

Table 4a. Trend in exports of iron and steel and its products

(US$ million)

Product panels September-2023 September-2024 Growth April-September 2023-24 April-September 2024-25 Growth
IRON AND STEEL 755.3 739.61 -2.08% 6231.17 4606.82 -26.07%
PRODUCTS OF IRON AND STEEL 849.17 827.52 -2.55% 4885.05 4806.84 -1.6%
Sub Total 1604.47 1567.13 -2% 11116.23 9413.66 -15%

Source : DGCI&S

Table 4b. Trend in exports of Non-Ferrous Metals and Products

US$ Million

Product panels September-2023 September-2024 Growth April-September 2023-24 April-September 2024-25 Growth
Aluminium and products made of Aluminium 565.01 526.17 -6.87% 3618.22 3249.18 -10.2%
Copper and products made of copper 271.08 246.66 -9.01% 1187.07 1053.17 -11.28%
Lead and products made of Lead 76.25 64.4 -15.53% 308.18 421.53 36.78%
Nickel and products made of Nickel 14.08 15.15 7.61% 87.33 87.68 0.4%
Other Non Ferrous Metals and their products 62.38 78.46 25.78% 367.85 424.1 15.29%
Tin and products made of Tin 1.44 2.95 105.3% 7.97 11.3 41.72%
Zinc and products made of zinc 41.47 58 39.87% 390.18 347.34 -10.98%
Sub Total 1031.71 991.8 -4% 5966.8 5594.3 -6%

Source : DGCI&S

Table 4c. Trend in exports of Industrial Machinery

US$ Million

Product panels September-2023 September-2024 Growth April-September 2023-24 April-September 2024-25 Growth
Air condition and Refrigeration Machinery and Parts, Industrial Furnaces, Water heaters and Centrifuges and Compressor 145.11 170.43 17.44% 831.31 909.39 9.39%
IC Engines and Parts 316.39 324.03 2.41% 1852.05 1844.39 -0.41%
Industrial Machinery for dairy, agriculture, food processing, textiles, paper, chemicals, etc 672.49 701.88 4.37% 3976.53 4066.78 2.27%
Machine Tools 58.61 61.09 4.22% 365.14 392.75 7.56%
Machinery for ATMs, Injecting Moulding machinery, valves, etc 202.41 240.9 19.02% 1232.08 1361.01 10.46%
Nuclear Reactors, Industrial Boilers and Parts 65.01 89.15 37.13% 368.08 406.76 10.51%
Pumps of all types 110.14 136.23 23.68% 704.58 759.17 7.75%
Sub Total 1570.18 1723.71 9.78% 9329.77 9740.25 4.4%

Source : DGCI&S

Table 4d. Trend in exports of Electrical Machinery and Equipment

US$ Million

Product panels September-2023 September-2024 Growth April-September 2023-24 April-September 2024-25 Growth
Electric Machinery and Equipment 1054.87 1281.13 21.45% 6203.2 6975.32 12.45%

Source : DGCI&S

Table 4e. Trend in exports of Auto and auto parts

US$ Million

Product panels September-2023 September-2024 Growth April-September 2023-24 April-September 2024-25 Growth
AUTO COMPONENTS/PARTS 642.025 688.684 7.27% 3768.568 4089.741 8.52%
AUTO TYRES AND TUBES 226.942 256.807 13.16% 1366.722 1511.515 10.59%
Motor Vehicle/cars 762.562 788.897 3.45% 4270.925 4397.943 2.97%
Two and Three Wheelers 203.818 266.174 30.59% 1313.806 1545.374 17.63%
Sub Total 1835.348 2000.562 9% 10720.022 11544.573 7.69%

Source : DGCI&S

Table 4f. Trend in exports of aircraft, spacecraft and parts and ships, boats and floating structures

US$ Million

Product panels September-2023 September-2024 Growth April-September 2023-24 April-September 2024-25 Growth
Aircrafts, Spacecrafts and Parts 104.55 710.58 579.68% 676.7 2970.85 2741.64%
Ships, Boats and Floating Structures 467 169.72 -63.66% 2165.62 2171.11 364.9%
Sub Total 571.55 880.3 54.02% 2842.32 5141.96 80.91%

Source : DGCI&S

Table 4g. Trend in exports of other engineering products

US$ Million

Product panels September-2023 September-2024 Growth April-September 2023-24 April-September 2024-25 Growth
BICYCLE AND PARTS 30.53 32.67 7.02% 183.02 186.37 1.83%
Hand Tools, Cutting Tools and Implements made of Metals 80.06 89.18 11.4% 464.13 503.06 8.39%
Medical and Scientific Instruments 190.03 257.74 35.63% 1190.48 1337.69 12.37%
OFFICE EQUIPMENTS 19.43 22.26 14.59% 165.96 140.73 -15.2%
OTHER CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY 250.82 268.78 7.16% 1444.14 1526.76 5.72%
OTHER MISC. ITEMS 387.34 434.19 12.1% 2325.1 2515.18 8.18%
PRIME MICA AND MICA PRODUCTS 4.73 2.57 -45.77% 20.76 14.96 -27.92%
Railway Transport and Parts 23.35 22.23 -4.81% 148.78 153.67 3.29%
PROJECT GOODS 0.2 0.25 27.06% 1.95 1.15 -41.33%
OTHR RUBBER PRODCT EXCPT FOOTW 134.61 142.57 5.92% 821.13 875.15 6.58%

Source : DGCI&S

ENGINEERING PRODUCT PANELS – COUNTRY-WISE ANALYSIS

Reasons for Decline (As per April-Septepber 2024-25):

  • Iron and Steel and Products of Iron and Steel: - Insights: 

a)During April-September 2024-25, India’s exports of Iron and Steel deteriorated by 26% vis-à-vis same period last fiscal, while Products of Iron and Steel deteriorated by 2% during the same period.

b)The ferrous sector continued to record decline in exports mainly due to slackened domestic and global demand pressuring down prices. Plus, China's aggressive export policy is also likely to sustain its negative impact on steel mills across the globe, including India. It is essential to recognize that during the initial five months of FY 2024-25 (April-August), our crude steel production increased by 4.44%, while finished steel production rose by 5.30% compared to the same period last year. Notably, steel consumption has surged by 13.78%. This considerable disparity between production and consumption underscores the necessity for imports to meet the burgeoning demand.

c)In the first five months of FY 2024-25 (April-August), steel exports saw a sharp drop of nearly 40% compared to the same period last year. In contrast, imports rose significantly by over 24%. As a result, net exports shifted from a surplus last year to a noticeable deficit this year, with imports now outpacing exports by a wider margin. This reflects a reversal in the trade balance for steel, with higher import levels and lower export activity.

d)Chinese steel prices have continued to down-trend in September. Even, Indian steel prices are grovelling at near-four-year lows. Flat steel prices, especially of hot rolled coils (HRCs) remained in a bear grip amid lacklustre demand despite the fact that the festive season is round the corner.

e)Top Markets affected: India’s exports to USA and EU markets are getting affected due to several factors. List of various NTMs, including the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and Deforestation-free Regulation (EUDR), impact Indian exports. The economic slowdown in key markets like the USA and EU has reduced demand for imported goods, including those from India.

  • Non- Ferrous Sector (Copper, Aluminium, Zinc) 
  • Copper: (decline of around 11%) 

a)In September global copper prices showed volatility – trended downwards in the beginning of September 2024 before gaining on growing anticipation of a rate cut by the US Federal Reserve which was came through on 18 September. 

b)India’s domestic demand has increased driven by demand for clean energy technologies and EV batteries – this is further indicated by India’s growing import of copper concentrate. The Ministry of Mines projects that the demand for copper in India, particularly from the EV sector, will increase by 1.7 million tonnes by 2027. The per capita copper consumption in India is also expected to rise from the current level of 0.6 kg to 1 kg in the coming years. This growing domestic demand is diverting supply away from export markets, further contributing to the decline in exports.

c)Closure of Vedanta's Sterlite copper plant: India's copper production capabilities have been significantly impacted by the closure of Vedanta's Sterlite Copper plant in 2018.

d)According to the International Copper Association, the closure has led to an estimated annual loss of $1 billion in net foreign exchange inflows due to reduced copper exports. Additionally, India has been forced to spend approximately $1.2 billion annually on copper imports to fill the supply gap, further straining the country's trade balance. The loss of this key production facility has reduced India’s ability to compete in the global copper marke

  • Aluminium (decline of around 11%) 

a) Restrictive trade policies and geopolitical tensions

Section 232 and U.S. Tariffs: The U.S. Section 232 tariffs have adversely affected aluminium exports to the U.S., one of India's key markets. Between April and July 2024, India’s aluminium exports to the U.S. declined by 5%. These tariffs are part of broader protectionist measures that have hampered the competitiveness of Indian aluminium products in the U.S. market.

U.S. Anti-Dumping Duties on Aluminium Extrusion Products: On May 1, 2024, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced preliminary antidumping duties on aluminium extrusion products from 14 countries, including India. Indian exporters now face a prohibitive dumping duty rate of 39.05% on products classified under HSN 7604 and HSN 7608. This steep duty rate significantly undermines the competitiveness of Indian aluminium exports in the U.S. market. In response, Indian exporters have submitted detailed representations to the U.S. Department of Commerce, highlighting the potential adverse effects on their businesses.

ASEAN Trade Barriers: In the ASEAN region, countries like Malaysia have imposed high Most Favoured Nation (MFN) duties ranging from 25% to 30% on tariff lines between 7604 to 7608, severely limiting exports from India’s downstream aluminium industry, which predominantly comprises MSMEs. Similarly, Indonesia has placed downstream aluminium products under the Sensitive Track, further restricting market access.

Discrimination in Neighbouring Markets: India’s aluminium exports also face discriminatory practices in neighbouring countries such as Bangladesh. In April 2023, Bangladesh reclassified aluminium billets under HS code 76012090 to 76012000, removing them from the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) agreement and imposing a 5% Basic Customs Duty (BCD) on imports from India. This change has increased the cost of exporting aluminium billets to Bangladesh, affecting trade volumes.

b) Fluctuations in global aluminium prices mainly fuelled by geopolitical uncertainties and shifting trade policies across the world. Underlying demand in Europe remains muted and US economy is expected to face a sharp slowdown

c) Rising domestic demand

Infrastructure Development: The Indian government's focus on infrastructure development has led to a significant increase in domestic demand for aluminium. According to ICRA, domestic aluminium demand is expected to grow by around 9% annually over the next two fiscal years. This rising demand has diverted more aluminium towards domestic consumption, reducing the availability of aluminium for export.

  • Zinc (decline of around 11%)

The decline in zinc exports is mainly due to growing domestic demand for zinc. India's zinc consumption is estimated to increase to over 2 million tonnes in the next 10 years from the current 1.1 million tonnes as per International Zinc Association (IZA) mainly driven by sustainable energy sectors

Table 5: Export of Different Panels

(US$ million)

Product panels Top 5 nations April-September 2023-24 April-September 2024-25 Growth (%)
Iron and Steel and Products made of Iron and Steel
U S A 1646.41 1647.12 0%
ITALY 1091.3 715.44 -34%
U ARAB EMTS 633.8 670.92 6%
U K 387.43 445.12 15%
NEPAL 546.61 406.81 -26%
Non-Ferrous Metals and Products made of Non-Ferrous Metals
U S A 724.91 710.06 -2%
KOREA RP 647.79 473.42 -27%
TURKEY 121.8 408.55 235%
SAUDI ARAB 545.14 345.23 -37%
CHINA P RP 205.52 305.09 48%
Industrial Machinery
U S A 1848.45 2045 11%
GERMANY 520.42 463.09 -11%
U ARAB EMTS 379.13 448.43 18%
CHINA P RP 360.89 424.66 18%
THAILAND 405.5 391.72 -3%
Electrical Machinery
U S A 1223.51 1352.57 11%
SINGAPORE 523.28 787.66 51%
U K 499.87 531.65 6%
GERMANY 366.32 430.08 17%
KOREA RP 200.88 361.41 80%
Automobiles
U S A 1199.15 1200.63 0%
MEXICO 794.9 991.25 25%
SAUDI ARAB 828.84 836.88 1%
SOUTH AFRICA 745.55 767.42 3%
U ARAB EMTS 414.58 524.69 27%
Aircrafts and Spacecraft parts and products
U ARAB EMTS 9.26 697.11 7429%
SAUDI ARAB 1.04 352.52 33656%
FRANCE 87.7 326.27 272%
U S A 227.52 214 -6%
TURKEY 44.92 189.94 323%
Ships Boats and Floating products and parts
U ARAB EMTS 485.69 737.63 52%
SINGAPORE 606.36 591.36 -2%
U S A 52.6 250.35 376%
INDONESIA 556.18 232.68 -58%
SRI LANKA DSR 175.32 104.62 -40%
Project Goods
KAZAKHSTAN 0 0.35 N/A
U S A 0.12 0.31 148%
BHUTAN 0.02 0.12 489%
CONGO P REP 0 0.06 N/A
NEPAL 0.03 0.05 56%
Other Rubber Product Except Footwear
U S A 183.26 201.72 10%
GERMANY 60.4 56.67 -6%
U ARAB EMTS 28.75 37.01 29%
CHINA P RP 29.25 31.64 8%
NETHERLAND 24.09 31.44 31%
Other engineering products
U S A 1424.47 1454.93 2%
GERMANY 287.88 315.63 10%
U K 294.3 311.08 6%
U ARAB EMTS 259.23 283.45 9%
SAUDI ARAB 203.43 212.25 4%

Source : DGCI&S

ENGINEERING EXPORTS – STATE-WISE ANALYSIS

State wise engineering export performance

The table below indicates the exports from top Indian states. It is evident from the table that almost 93.6 % of India’s exports is contributed by the listed 12 states. Within this almost 56 percent of exports is done by Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat together.

Table 6: Top state wise engineering export performance - April-September 2024-25

(US$ million)

Top States Cumulative Export April-September 2024-25 Share % Remark
Maharashtra 9295.9 22.99% 92.7% share covered by top 12 states
Tamil Nadu 7153.8 17.7%
Gujarat 6171.5 15.27%
Karnataka 2843.3 7.03%
Telangana 2475 6.12%
Odisha 2342 5.79%
Andhra Pradesh 2218 5.49%
Uttar Pradesh 1782.6 4.41%
West Bengal 1391 3.44%
Madhya Pradesh 788 1.95%
Haryana 744.4 1.84%
Rajasthan 653.3 1.62%
Daman & Diu And Dadra & Nagar Haveli 490.2 1.21%
Delhi 438.1 1.08%
Chhattisgarh 360.7 0.89%
Kerala 339.8 0.84%
Jharkhand 317.5 0.79%
Punjab 291.7 0.72%
Goa 153.1 0.38%
Puducherry 81.9 0.2%
Uttarakhand 39.7 0.1%
Bihar 29 0.07%
Himachal Pradesh 11.1 0.03%
Assam 7.9 0.02%
Chandigarh 3.9 0.01%
Arunachal Pradesh 1 0%
Jammu & Kashmir 0.7 0%
Manipur 0.6 0%
Sikkim 0.4 0%
Meghalaya 0.1 0%
Lakshadweep 0.1 0%
Andaman & Nicobar 0.1 0%
Ladakh 0 0%
Mizoram 0 0%
Tripura 0 0%
Nagaland 0 0%

Source : DGCI&S

Region wise engineering exports

In terms of region, western region which includes industrial states like Maharashtra and Gujarat is the front runner in terms of exports with 38.3 percent share. Tamil Nadu from the Southern Region has improved its export performance and it ranked second after Maharashtra, while Gujarat and Karnataka ranked third and fourth during April-August 2024-25.

Note : DGCI&S state wise data available till February-2024

Table 7: Region wise exports from India till February-2024

Value in US$ million

Region Sep-2023($Mn) Sep-2024($Mn) Growth % Apr-Sep 2023-24($Mn) Apr-Sep 2024-25 ($Mn) Growth %
WESTERN REGION 3506.8 3362.6 -4.11% 17006.7 16898.7 -0.64%
SOUTHERN REGION 2544.8 3146.6 23.65% 12961.8 15111.9 16.59%
EASTERN REGION 997.9 915.4 -8.27% 5224.3 4449.9 -14.82%
NORTHERN REGION 2004.5 638.3 -68.16% 9422.8 3965.9 -57.91%
Grand Total 9054 8062.9 -10.95% 44615.6 40426.4 -9.39%

CORRELATION BETWEEN MANUFACTURING PRODUCTION AND ENGINEERING EXPORTS

Engineering forms a considerable part of the broader manufacturing sector and the share of engineering production in overall manufacturing output is quite significant. As exports generally come from what is produced within a country, some correlation between manufacturing production growth and engineering export growth should exist. We briefly lookat the trend in manufacturing growth as also engineering export growth to see if they move in tandem. It may be mentioned that manufacturing has 77.63% weightage in India’s industrial production.

Engineering export growth and manufacturing output growth moved in the same direction in as many as nine out of twelve months in each of the fiscal years 2019-20 and 2020-21. During fiscal 2021-22, engineering export growth and manufacturing growth moved in the same direction in seven out of twelve months while in each of fiscal 2022-23 and 2023-24, as many as 10 out of 12 months saw engineering exports and manufacturing output moved in the same direction.

=The first two month of fiscal 2024-25 also saw manufacturing output growth and engineering exports growth moving in the same direction. April 2024 saw engineering exports declined from a growth in Mar 2024 and manufacturing output growth decelerated. The month of May 2024 witnessed just the opposite. Engineering exports bounced back to growth path and manufacturing output growth accelerated. Then June, July and August 2024 however saw both moved in the opposite direction. June and August 2024 saw higher engineering export growth but lower manufacturing growth in comparison to the previous month while July 2024 just witnessed the reverse.

The link between these two may not be established on a monthly basis, but a positive correlation may be seen if medium to long term trend is considered.

Table 8: Engineering exports growth vis-à-vis manufacturing growth from April 2020
Months/ Year Engg. Export Growth (%) Manufacturing Growth (%)
April 2020 -63.05 -66.6
May 2020 -22.17 -37.8
June 2020 -5.18 -17.0
July 2020 10.56 -11.4
August 2020 -7.01 -7.6
September 2020 4.09 0.4
October 2020 -5.01 4.5
November 2020 -8.37 -1.6
December 2020 -0.93 2.7
January 2021 16.66 -0.9
February 2021 -4.94 -3.4
March 2021 67.75 28.3
April 2021 236.85 196.0
May 2021 50.21 32.1
June 2021 51.00 13.2
July 2021 42.57 10.5
August 2021 58.63 11.1
September 2021 35.11 4.3
October 2021 51.76 3.3
November 2021 37.28 0.3
December 2021 47.42 0.6
January 2022 25.63 1.9
February 2022 35.49 0.2
March 2022 19.72 1.4
April 2022 18.30 5.6
May 2022 11.45 20.6
June 2022 3.01 13.0
July 2022 -0.03 3.2
August 2022 -12.64 -0.5
September 2022 -11.39 2.0
October 2022 -19.68 -5.8
November 2022 0.09 6.7
December 2022 -11.60 3.6
January 2023 -9.76 4.0
February 2023 -9.73 5.6
March 2023 -7.49 0.5
April 2023 -7.27 5.5
May 2023 -4.13 6.3
June 2023 -10.94 3.5
July 2023 -6.65 5.0
August 2023 7.83 9.3
September 2023 6.81 4.5
October 2023 7.20 N A
November 2023 -3.48 1.2
December 2023 9.82 4.5
January 2024 4.21 3.6
February 2024 15.9 5.0
March 2024 10.66 N A
April 2024 -4.49 3.9
May 2024 7.41 4.6
June 2024 10.27 N A
July 2024 3.66 4.6
August 2024 4.26 1.0

Source :Department of Commerce and CSO

IMPACT OF EXCHANGE RATE ON INDIA’S EXPORTS

How did the exchange rate fare during September 2024 and what was the recent trend in ReDollar movement? In order to get a clearer picture of the recent Re-Dollar trend, not only we took the exchange rate of September 2024, but also considered monthly average exchange rate of Rupee vis-à-vis the US Dollar for each month of fiscal 2023-24 and 2024-25 till September 2024 as per the latest data published, as mere one-month figure does not reflect any trend. The following two tables clearly depicts the short-term trend:

Fig 3: Trend of Rupee vis-a-vis US dollar from April 2020

(Monthly Average Rate of FBIL has been considered)

Source : FBIL

Table 9: USD-INR monthly average exchange rate in 2024-25 vis-à-vis 2023-24

(As per latest data released by FBIL)

Monthly Average Exchange Rate (1 USD to INR) Year-on-Year Change (%) Direction Month-on-Month Change (%) Direction
Month 2023-24 2024-25
April 82.02 83.41 1.69 Depreciation 0.49 Depreciation
May 82.34 83.39 1.28 Depreciation -0.02 Appreciation
June 82.23 83.47 1.51 Depreciation 0.10 Depreciation
July 82.15 83.59 1.75 Depreciation 0.14 Depreciation
August 82.79 83.89 1.33 Depreciation 0.36 Depreciation
September 83.05 83.81 0.92 Depreciation -0.10 Depreciation

Rupee depreciation vis-à-vis the US Dollar continued in the new fiscal 2024-25 on a yearon-year basis but it appreciated on a month-on-month basis in September 2024. Despite of a slight month-on-month appreciation in September 2024, rupee remained under pressure through most of the month due to unwinding of yuan-funded long bets on the rupee, tepid equity inflows and strong dollar demand from local importers. Geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, worries over recession in the US and carryover trade in Japanese yen also weighed on rupee.

Table 10: USD-INR monthly average exchange rate in 2023-24 vis-à-vis 2022-23

(As per latest data released by FBIL)

Monthly Average Exchange Rate (1 USD to INR) Year-on-Year Change (%) Direction Month-on-Month Change (%) Direction
Month 2022-23 2023-24
Apr 76.17 82.02 7.68 Depreciation -0.33 Appreciation
May 77.32 82.34 6.49 Depreciation 0.39 Depreciation
Jun 78.04 82.23 5.37 Depreciation -0.13 Appreciation
Jul 79.60 82.15 3.20 Depreciation -0.10 Appreciation
Aug 80.23 83.04 3.50 Depreciation 0.78 Depreciation
Sep 80.23 83.04 3.50 Depreciation 0.30 Depreciation
Oct 82.34 83.24 1.09 Depreciation 0.24 Depreciation
Nov 81.81 83.30 1.82 Depreciation 0.07 Depreciation
Dec 82.46 83.28 0.99 Depreciation -0.02 Appreciation
Jan 81.90 83.12 1.49 Depreciation -0.19 Appreciation
Feb 82.61 82.96 0.42 Depreciation -0.19 Appreciation
Mar 82.29 83.00 0.86 Depreciation 0.05 Depreciation

Source : FBIL, EEPC Research

TREND IN ENGINEERING TRADE BALANCE

We now present the trend in two-way yearly trade for the engineering sector for the 2024-25 depicted in the table below:

 

Table 11: Monthly Trend in Engineering Trade Balance for the current FY

(US$ million)

Trade Flow Apr May June July August September
Engineering Export 11034.8 10.0 9.4 9.0 9.4 9.8
Engineering Import 10985.6 12.9 12.0 12.5 14.1 12.7
Trade Balance -0.4 -2.9 -2.6 -3.5 -4.7 -2.9

Source : DGCI&S

TO CONCLUDE...

India’s engineering exports continued its stellar performance for the fifth consecutive month with a growth rate of 10.55% in monthly terms and 5.25% in cumulative terms. The increase was majorly continued by industrial machinery, electrical machinery, automobile and auto components, medical devices, etc. Decline in both monthly and cumulative terms was evident in the ferrous and non-ferrous metal sector. This can be mainly attributed to global uncertainties, shifting trade policies and in some instances rising domestic demand.

The recent WTO global update has also been positive despite potential setbacks triggered by geopolitical conflicts. WTO revised the projected growth rate of global trade in goods in 2024 from the last 2.6% to 2.7%. The WTO however cautions that despite the positive outlook, governments and industries should be cautious as rising geopolitical tensions and increased economic policy uncertainty continue to pose substantial downside risks to the forecast.

As the time is fraught with both certain challenges and uncertainty we urge the government to continue their support for the industry such that exporters can remain competitive in the global market.