After witnessing negative growth in November, India's exports bounced back in December to register a 16.19 per cent growth at $8.2 billion.
Exports in the first nine months of the current fiscal (April-December, 2005-06) clocked a growth of 18.03 per cent at $66.4 billion as against $56.2 billion in the same period previous fiscal, according to the official trade figures released in New Delhi.
Exports had slipped by 11.38 per cent during November 2005 to $6.16 billion compared to $6.95 billion during the same month last year.
Commenting on the pick-up in exports, Commerce Minister Kamal Nath said, "I am bullish on exports".
In rupee term, exports were Rs 37,807.74 crore (Rs 378.08 billion), 20.58 per cent higher than the value of exports during December, 2004.
Imports during April-December rose by 27.29 per cent to $96.26 billion widening the trade deficit to $29.83 billion over $19.42 billion during April-December, 2004-05.
Imports during stood at $10.985 billion representing an increase of 8.44 per cent as against $10.1 billion in December 2004-05.
Oil imports during April-December 2005-06 rose by a whopping 45.43 per cent to $31.12 billion in the corresponding period previous fiscal.
Non-oil imports during April-December 2005-06 are estimated at $65.14 billion, which is 20.13 per cent higher than the $54.22 billion in the corresponding period in 2004-05.