Tamil Nadu has emerged as India’s fastest-growing merchandise exporter for FY26, with shipments rising 13.7% year-on-year to hit $59.3 billion. Driven by a booming smartphone and electronics manufacturing ecosystem, the state retained its title as India’s top electronics exporter for the third consecutive year, commanding a 42% share of national electronics exports. Conversely, Gujarat’s national export share declined to 25.6% due to weaker petroleum and jewelry shipments. To assist small exporters, the government’s collateral-free export credit scheme under the Export Promotion Mission has faced a surprisingly slow uptake, with only 140 exporters registering since January. This stands in stark contrast to the interest subvention scheme, which saw over 8,459 registrations. Experts attribute the muted response to a lack of awareness and cumbersome paperwork among MSMEs. In the agricultural sector, Himachal Pradesh’s ₹5,000-crore apple economy has suffered a massive climate blow. Due to insufficient winter snowfall, unseasonal spring rains, and hailstorms, apple production is estimated to plunge by 40% to 4.36 lakh metric tonnes in 2026 compared to 6.90 lakh metric tonnes in 2025, heavily impacting about 2.5 lakh farming families who are now demanding enhanced irrigation and crop insurance support.