WASHINGTON — The United States recorded a goods trade deficit of $54.91 billion with India over the past 12 months, placing it among the country’s larger deficit partners, according to newly released official data.
The figures come as the overall U.S. trade deficit widened in February, rising to $57.35 billion — an increase of $2.67 billion from January — though still about 11 percent below the 12-month average.
The monthly increase was driven by faster growth in imports compared to exports. Total U.S. exports stood at $314.8 billion in February, while imports reached $372.1 billion.
In goods trade, the U.S. posted a deficit of $84.60 billion, while the services sector recorded a surplus of $27.26 billion. The goods deficit expanded from the previous month, while the services surplus edged slightly lower.
India remained a notable contributor to the U.S. trade gap. In February alone, the U.S. ran a goods trade deficit of about $3.5 billion with India. Over the 12-month period through February 2026, India accounted for roughly 5 percent of the total U.S. goods trade deficit.
At the same time, India continued to play a significant role as a supplier to the U.S. market. Imports from India totaled $101.97 billion over the past year, spanning key sectors such as pharmaceuticals and engineering goods.
Those imports generated $12.34 billion in U.S. customs duties, with an average applied tariff rate of 12.12 percent.
Despite India’s growing role, larger trade imbalances persisted with countries such as Mexico, Vietnam, and China, which remained the top contributors to the U.S. goods trade deficit.
On the export side, February gains were led by increased shipments of industrial supplies and materials, including nonmonetary gold and natural gas. Services exports also saw modest growth.
However, imports rose more sharply, fueled by demand for capital goods, computers, semiconductors, crude oil, and pharmaceutical products.
Over the past year, the leading U.S. exports included civilian aircraft, pharmaceutical products, and nonmonetary gold. Imports were dominated by pharmaceuticals, computers, and passenger vehicles.
Despite the uptick in February, broader trends suggest some easing in the trade imbalance. Year-to-date figures show the deficit has narrowed compared to the same period last year, supported by rising exports and a decline in imports on an annual basis.
In February, the U.S. collected $21.24 billion in import duties, about 13 percent below the 12-month average, with the average applied duty rate at 8.48 percent. (Source: IANS)
