NEW DELHI, Aug 14 Reuters India39;s merchandise trade deficit in July stood at 20.67 billion, according to a Reuters calculation based on export and import data released by the government on Monday.

Economists expected a July trade deficit of 21 billion, according to a Reuters poll.

Merchandise exports stood at 32.25 billion, while imports were 52.92 billion in July, the government data showed. The previous month, merchandise exports were 32.97 billion, while imports stood at 53.10 billion.

Russia emerged as the secondbiggest goods seller to India in AprilJuly, with exports doubling to 20.45 billion during the period from 10.42 billion during the same period last year, data showed.

India has been gorging on Russian oil since the West imposed sanctions on Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine, helping it climb from the position of 18th biggest supplier of goods to India before the war.

China remained the biggest supplier of goods to India even with imports falling to 32.70 billion from 34.55 billion.

Services exports in July were 27.17 billion, while imports were 14.85 billion. In June, services exports were 27.12 billion and imports were 15.88 billion.

For the AprilJuly period, services and merchandise exports fell about 6 yearonyear to 244.15 billion, while imports fell 11 to 272.41 billion.

Reporting by Nikunj Ohri and Manoj Kumar; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman, Robert Birsel

Source Reuters