Growing for the second straight month, India's exports rose by 4.25 per cent to $26.26 billion in February.

In February 2012, the overseas shipments stood at $25.19 billion.

"Europe is performing better, there is a slight improvement in demand," Commerce Secretary S R Rao told reporters in New Delhi.

Exporting sectors which performed well include

engineering goods, textiles, rice, oil meals, pharmaceutical and chemicals.

Imports also rose by 2.6 per cent to $41.1 billion in the month under review, leaving a trade deficit of $14.92 billion.

However, during the April-February period of financial year 2012-13, the country's overseas shipments declined by 4 per cent to $265.95 billion.

Imports during the 11-month period grew by a mere 0.25 per cent to $448 billion, leaving a trade deficit of $182.1 billion.