UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — The cumulative exports (merchandise & services) during April-June 2026-27 is estimated at US$ 232.73 Billion, as compared to US$ 208.98 Billion in April-June 2025-26, an estimated growth of 11.37%.

Q1. The estimate that India's cumulative exports (merchandise and services) during April-June 2026-27 stood at US$ 232.73 billion is released by which one of the following?

  • A. Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry
  • B. National Statistical Office, Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation
  • C. Directorate General of Foreign Trade, acting as an independent statutory regulator
  • D. Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry

Q2. The figure of US$ 232.73 billion of India's total exports, compared against US$ 208.98 billion, pertains to which one of the following reference periods?

  • A. The first quarter of financial year 2026-27, i.e. April to June 2026
  • B. The first quarter of financial year 2025-26, i.e. April to June 2025
  • C. The last quarter of financial year 2025-26, i.e. January to March 2026
  • D. The first half of financial year 2026-27, i.e. April to September 2026

Q3. Consider the following statements regarding India's export performance during April-June 2026-27 as compared with April-June 2025-26: 1. Merchandise exports, estimated at US$ 129.32 billion, grew at a faster rate than services exports during the period. 2. Services exports during the period are estimated at about US$ 103.41 billion, registering a growth of about 6.16 per cent. 3. Non-petroleum exports grew at a rate higher than that of overall merchandise exports during the period. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Merchandise exports, estimated at US$ 129.32 billion, grew at a faster rate than services exports during the period.
  2. Services exports during the period are estimated at about US$ 103.41 billion, registering a growth of about 6.16 per cent.
  3. Non-petroleum exports grew at a rate higher than that of overall merchandise exports during the period.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q4. During April-June 2026-27, by approximately how many percentage points did the growth rate of India's merchandise exports exceed the growth rate of its overall exports (merchandise and services combined)?

  • A. About 2.3 percentage points
  • B. About 4.6 percentage points
  • C. About 6.2 percentage points
  • D. About 9.8 percentage points

Q5. In the monthly trade releases of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the term 'cumulative exports' for a period such as April-June 2026-27 refers to which one of the following?

  • A. The running total of merchandise and services exports from the beginning of the financial year in April up to the reference month
  • B. The moving total of merchandise exports over the twelve months immediately preceding the reference month
  • C. The total of merchandise exports alone, accumulated from the beginning of the calendar year up to the reference month
  • D. The total value of exports net of the corresponding imports, accumulated since the beginning of the financial year

Q6. Consider the following statements comparing the successive cumulative trade releases of financial year 2026-27: 1. Cumulative exports during April-May 2026-27 were estimated at US$ 162.69 billion as against US$ 141.89 billion in April-May 2025-26. 2. The cumulative export growth reported for April-June 2026-27 was lower than that reported for April-May 2026-27. 3. During April-May 2026-27, services exports were estimated at US$ 88.91 billion and merchandise exports at US$ 73.79 billion. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Cumulative exports during April-May 2026-27 were estimated at US$ 162.69 billion as against US$ 141.89 billion in April-May 2025-26.
  2. The cumulative export growth reported for April-June 2026-27 was lower than that reported for April-May 2026-27.
  3. During April-May 2026-27, services exports were estimated at US$ 88.91 billion and merchandise exports at US$ 73.79 billion.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q7. With reference to India's trade performance in FY 2025-26 (April-March), consider the following: 1. Total exports of merchandise and services taken together: about US$ 860.09 billion 2. Merchandise exports: about US$ 441.78 billion 3. Services exports: about US$ 204.42 billion 4. Overall trade deficit (merchandise and services combined): about US$ 119.30 billion Which of the above is/are correctly identified?

  1. Total exports of merchandise and services taken together: about US$ 860.09 billion
  2. Merchandise exports: about US$ 441.78 billion
  3. Services exports: about US$ 204.42 billion
  4. Overall trade deficit (merchandise and services combined): about US$ 119.30 billion
  • A. 1 and 3 only
  • B. 2 and 4 only
  • C. 1, 2 and 4 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q8. Among the following components of India's external trade in FY 2025-26 (April-March), which one recorded the highest value?

  • A. Merchandise imports
  • B. Merchandise exports
  • C. Services exports
  • D. Services imports

Q9. Consider the following statements about the institutional arrangements for compiling India's trade statistics: 1. The Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics, headquartered at Kolkata, is a subordinate office of the Department of Commerce and is the nodal agency for India's export-import data. 2. It derives its basic merchandise trade data from Daily Trade Returns received from Customs formations and Special Economic Zones. 3. In the monthly trade release, the services data are compiled by this Directorate while the merchandise data are supplied by the Reserve Bank of India. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics, headquartered at Kolkata, is a subordinate office of the Department of Commerce and is the nodal agency for India's export-import data.
  2. It derives its basic merchandise trade data from Daily Trade Returns received from Customs formations and Special Economic Zones.
  3. In the monthly trade release, the services data are compiled by this Directorate while the merchandise data are supplied by the Reserve Bank of India.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q10. With reference to the merchandise trade indices compiled by the Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics, which one of the following statements is correct?

  • A. The Unit Value Index captures changes in the prices of exports and imports, and its base year has been revised to 2022-23
  • B. The Unit Value Index captures changes in the physical volume of goods traded, and its base year continues to be 2012-13
  • C. The Quantity Index captures changes in export and import prices, and its base year has been revised to 2023-24
  • D. The Terms of Trade index measures the ratio of merchandise exports to India's total exports, and its base year is 2011-12

Q11. With reference to the Foreign Trade Policy 2023, which aims to take India's exports to US$ 2 trillion, consider the following: 1. Incentive to Remission 2. Export promotion through collaboration - Exporters, States, Districts, Indian Missions 3. Ease of doing business, reduction in transaction cost and e-initiatives 4. Universalisation of Minimum Export Price and a mandatory export obligation on all Status Holders Which of the above is/are correctly identified as pillars of the Foreign Trade Policy 2023?

  1. Incentive to Remission
  2. Export promotion through collaboration - Exporters, States, Districts, Indian Missions
  3. Ease of doing business, reduction in transaction cost and e-initiatives
  4. Universalisation of Minimum Export Price and a mandatory export obligation on all Status Holders
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2, 3 and 4 only
  • C. 1, 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 3 and 4 only

Q12. In the Ministry of Commerce and Industry's monthly trade release, the services export figure is shown as an 'estimate'. On the basis of whose data is this estimate subsequently revised?

  • A. The Reserve Bank of India, which releases monthly data on international trade in services and quarterly Balance of Payments data
  • B. The Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics, which reconciles services data from Daily Trade Returns
  • C. The National Statistical Office, which compiles services trade as part of the quarterly national accounts
  • D. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade, which validates services exports through its digital licensing platform