India’s trade with West Asia recovered to nearly the pre-war levels in May as new routes and ports in Oman and neighbouring countries have opened up even as officials expressed hope that the proposed ceasefire will bring sustained peace to the region and open up the Strait of Hormuz.
 
Provisional data released by the commerce ministry on June 15 revealed that India’s exports to West Asia was $5.3 billion in May 2026 as against $5.38 billion in May 2025, recovering sharply from the fall in March ($2.62 billion) and April ($.4.2 billion). Experts to West Asia in May were in fact the second highest level this calendar year, below only January’s $6.48 billion.
 
Imports from West Asia also recovered to $10.74 billion in May 2026, slightly higher than $10.47 billion in April 2025 but lower than $13.05 billion in May 2025. Oil imports from the region have gone down while those from other sources like Russia and the US have increased.
 
“The growth in exports has been driven by various countries in West Asia…supply chains have remained entrenched, but goods are going through different routes,” said commerce secretary Rajesh Agrawal while briefing reporters.
 
He underlined that a lot of efforts have been made by exporters and agencies to ensure that new routes are opened to the region. Further several ports in Oman, including Sohar, Salalah, and Duqm have opened up and an entire trade corridor has been opened up till UAE’s Jebel Ali port.

Exports to countries including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Yemen have increased in May 2026. As per commerce ministry data, merchandise exports from India to the UAE rose 3.18% year on year in May 2026 to $3.06 billion while goods exports to Saudi Arabia increased 11.12% to $0.92 billion in May 2026.
 
Agrawal expressed hope that overall merchandise exports in June could be better if the situation normalises. “We hope it is a sustained deal and peace can come to the region,” he said, adding that details are still awaited.
 
India’s overall goods exports in May 2026 rose 18% year on year to $45.2 billion while imports grew 20.6% to $73.41 billion taking the trade deficit to $28.21 billion.