India's exports surged by 11 per cent to $131.47 billion in the first quarter of this year but with imports registering an over 27 per cent growth, the country's trade deficit widened, official figures stated.

Exports in the first quarter of this year rose from $11.84 billion in April-June 2002-03, while imports rose by over 27 per cent to $17.33 billion as compared to $13.64 billion in the year ago period mainly due to surge in non-oil imports.

Thus trade deficit widened to $4.2 billion in the first quarter of this fiscal as against $1.8 billion in the corresponding period in 2002-03.

Exports and imports in June alone were $4.28 billion and $5.89 billion, up by about 11 per cent and 39 per cent, respectively, from the year-ago period's figures.

Oil imports surged by about 18 per cent to $4.8 billion and non-oil imports were up by nearly 31 per cent to $12.5 billion in April-June this year.

Oil imports stood at $4.09 billion and non-oil imports amounted to $9.56 billion during April-June in 2002-03.

In rupee terms, exports rose by a mere 7 per cent to Rs 61,868 crore (Rs 618.68 billion) and imports by 22 per cent to Rs 81,532 crore (Rs 815.32 billion), thus resulting in a widened trade deficit of Rs 19,663 crore (Rs 196.63 billion) in April-June this year.

In the first quarter of 2002-03, exports were valued at Rs 57,959 crore (Rs 579.59 billion) and imports at Rs 66,780 crore (Rs 667.80 billion) and a trade deficit stood at Rs 8,821 crore (Rs 88.21 billion).

In June this year, exports rose by about 6 per cent to Rs 20,009 crore (Rs 200.09 billion) and imports by over 32 per cent to Rs 27,529 crore (Rs 275.29 billion) as compared to previous year's figures.