Indian shipments logged double-digit growth in the second half of 2013, lowering substantially the current account deficit (CAD), a big worry for the policymakers, and boosted hopes of revival in the economy.

Due to sluggishness in the global economy, notably Europe and the US, India's merchandise exports growth was mostly in the negative zone in The first half the year. However, since July it has seen a significant turnaround and registered a healthy double-digit growth, except in November, when the shipments were affected by strikes at ports.

In July, exports jumped 11.64 per cent after declining by 4.56 per cent in the previous month year-on-year.

The good show continued and the growth surged to a two-year high of 13.47 per cent in October. A sharp depreciation in the value of the rupee during that time helped in growth in shipments, which helped the sluggish economy.

For the first eight months of the current financial year, the deficit declined to $99.9 billion from $129.2 billion recorded in the corresponding period of last year.

Ahmed said the deficit is expected to remain in the range of $140-150 billion for the financial year ending March 2014 as compared to $190.90 billion registered in the previous year.

"The first eight months of this fiscal has witnessed a nearly 23 per cent decline in the cumulative trade deficit, which will considerably ease the pressure on the current account deficit and in turn make the rupee more stable," said FICCI President Naina Lal Kidwai.

The value of India's merchandise exports was $203.98 billion in the April-November period of 2013, compared to $191.95 billion in the corresponding period last year, registering a year-on-year growth of 6.27 per cent.

However, imports in the first eight months of the current fiscal declined by 5.39 per cent to $303.89 billion as compared to $321.19 billion recorded in the same period last year.

The lower trade deficit has helped curb the current account deficit that had spiralled to a record high of $88.2 billion or 4.8 per cent of the country's GDP in the financial year ended March 2013.

The current account deficit dropped to $5.2 billion or 1.2 per cent of GDP in the July-September quarter of the current year, 75 per cent lower From $21 billion or five per cent of GDP, recorded in the corresponding quarter of last year.

Soumya Kanti Ghosh, chief economic adviser at the State Bank of India, said India's current account deficit is expected to come down to $40 billion or 2.2 per cent of the GDP in the financial year 2013-14.

"The momentum in export growth is an encouraging sign, and we believe that this trend will be maintained, going forward, partly aided by a lower base and seasonal impact in the last quarter," Ghosh said.

Anupam Shah, head of the Engineering Export Promotion Council (EEPC), Said while the fall in trade deficit is a good development for the Indian economy, it is largely a result of a steep import compression rather than a smart rise in exports. Going forward, he said, the focus should be on boosting exports, instead of putting a curb on imports.

"We must reverse this trend and focus more on export growth than import compression. The India story should be led by export drive, and not reduced consumption at home," the engineering export body chief said.

Imports have come down largely due to a series of steps taken by the government to lower gold and oil demands.