New Delhi: India’s export landscape is witnessing a shift with Tamil Nadu and Telangana powering ahead—with 19.6 percent and 36.3 percent growth in export value, respectively, in 2024-25—and traditional export heavyweights Gujarat and Maharashtra staring down a decline in export value.
Although Gujarat with USD 116.3 billion in export value in 2024-25 continues to dominate overall exports in the country, it recorded one of the sharpest declines of over USD 18 billion in export value, from USD 134.4 billion in 2023-24.
The merchandise export data state-wise was released Thursday by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in its 10th edition of Handbook of Statistics on Indian States, 2024-25.
Tamil Nadu registered a rise in export value to USD 52.1 billion in 2024-25 from USD 43.6 billion in 2023-24, a jump of 17.6 percent. From USD 26.15 billion in 2020-21, the export value of Tamil Nadu has almost doubled in the last five years.
The growth suggests Tamil Nadu has steadily strengthened its electronics, automobiles, and engineering goods pipeline and placed itself firmly among India’s most dynamic export hubs.
Another southern state that has emerged as a breakout performer is Telangana, with exports value surging by 36.3 percent in 2024-25 to reach USD 19.1 billion from USD 14.0 billion in 2023-24. The data suggests Telangana too has more than doubled its share of export value from USD 8.7 billion in 2020-21. “Telangana is becoming a major hub for traditional engineering goods, whereas Tamil Nadu is witnessing development of new industries related to electronics products,” Shishir Gupta, senior fellow at the Centre for Social and Economic Progress (CSEP), a policy think tank, told ThePrint.
Karnataka also posted a healthy gain, rising from USD 26.6 billion to over USD 30.4 billion.
This recovery comes after a mild dip last year and reflects renewed momentum in software-led exports.
Gujarat & Maharashtra see a decline
While some southern states are outperforming, traditional export powerhouse states of Gujarat and Maharashtra saw a decline of 13.4 percent and 2 percent in export value in 2024-25 since 2023-2024, respectively.
Overall, Gujarat with USD 116.3 billion in export value in 2024-25 continues to dominate despite recording one of the sharpest contractions from 2023-24 of over USD 18 billion in export value of USD 134.4 billion.
However, this decline was not a one-time occurrence, Gujarat saw a decline in exports the previous year as well, underscoring persistent pressure on the state’s traditional industrial pillars of petrochemicals, gems and jewellery, and textiles.
Maharashtra, another long-term leader in exports, also saw a downward drift, with export value slipping from USD 67.2 billion in 2023-24 to USD 65.8 billion in 2024-25.
“A key reason for Gujarat not doing well in 2024-25 exports compared to the previous year is due to turbulence in global oil markets, whereas Maharashtra may be losing out on competitiveness to other states,” said Gupta of the CSEP.
(Edited by Viny Mishra)
Also read: Goa, Kerala lose sheen as more foreign tourists pick Maharashtra & Bengal, shows RBI data