India reports CAD of 1.2 pc of GDP in FY22

MUMBAI: India witnessed a current account deficit of 1.2 per cent of GDP in 2021-22 against a surplus of 0.9 per cent in FY2020-21 due to a wider trade deficit, the Reserve Bank said on Wednesday.

For the January-March 2022 quarter, the CAD narrowed on a sequential basis to $13.4 billion or 1.5 per cent of GDP against $22.2 bn or 2.6 per cent of GDP in the December 2021 quarter.

Current account deficit occurs when the value of goods and services imported and other payments exceeds the value of export of goods and services and other receipts by a country in a particular period.

The trade deficit widened to $189.5 bn in FY22 from $102.2 billion a year ago, which resulted in slippage in the number which is considered a key representation of a country’s external strength, the RBI said.

The Balance of Payments data suggested goods imports stood at $618.6 bn in FY22 as against $398.5 bn in the year-ago period, leading to the widening of the trade deficit.