India’s merchandise exports surged nearly 20% year-on-year in July 2026 to reach $44.2 billion, driven predominantly by refined petroleum products, engineering goods, and electronic shipments, despite ongoing trade and geopolitical headwinds. A major operational milestone was achieved in Kerala as the Vizhinjam International Seaport commenced full-fledged direct export-import (EXIM) cargo movement, transitioning from a pure transshipment hub to a direct trade gateway connecting over 110 ports across 50 countries. To complement this port expansion, Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan announced ‘Mission Samudra’, a comprehensive port-led industrialization and logistics initiative designed to attract private investment exceeding 10 times the public expenditure by 2031. The state government also announced plans to set up 45 new industrial units in its first year and progressively scale up industrial land from 20 hectares to over 420 hectares by 2040.