The main drivers of export growth in October included petroleum products, electronics, gems and jewellery, chemicals, and engineering goods. New Delhi: India’s merchandise trade deficit widened to a one-year high of $39.88 billion in October, as a surge in imports, driven by elevated energy prices amid the West Asia conflict, outweighed record goods exports.Merchandise exports rose 45% year-on-year to a record $49.47 billion in October. Imports, however, climbed to $89.