<h1>India's Global Trade Openness Surges: Merchandise Trade to GDP Rises from 20.4% to 32% in 15 Years.</h1> India's trade openness, an indicator of globalization, has shown significant growth, with merchandise trade to GDP ratio rising from 20.4% in 2001-02 to 32.0% in 2015-16. Including services trade, the openness increased from 26.7% to 43.5% over the same period. Despite a slight export decline in 2016-17 due to global slowdown, exports showed positive growth in September and October 2016. The International Monetary Fund's October 2016 report predicts robust growth for India. The government continues to review economic policies for inclusive growth, particularly in sensitive sectors like agriculture, aiming to protect the interests of the poor in multilateral forums.