IT’S AN uphill task ahead and by all counts the game is almost over. India looks certain to miss its export target of $160 billion for this fiscal. Despite exports recording a surge of 35% in February 2008 to $14.23 billion, pulling the eleven months export figures to $138.4 billion, meeting the target is a tough call as it would require exports to touch $21 billion in March 2008. This would be 40% higher than exports in March 2007 at $15.38 billion. India’s export growth in the April-February 2007-08 period is pegged 22.9% higher than the comparable period in the previous fiscal. The modest performance in exports notwithstanding, exports from certain labour intensive sectors like textiles, handicrafts and some leather items are continuing to experience negative growth. India’s imports during February 2008 are valued at $18.46 billion, representing an increase of 30.53% over imports valued at $14.14 billion in February 2007. Cumulative value of imports for the period April- February, 2008 was $210.89 billion against $161.95 billion exports in the comparable period of the previous year registering a growth of 30.21%. Oil imports during February 2008, valued at $6.27 billion was 39.52% higher than oil imports worth $ 4.49 billion in the corresponding period last year. Oil imports during April-February 2008 were valued at $ 66.01 billion which was 26.81% higher than oil imports of $52.05 billion in the corresponding period last year. Non-oil imports during February, 2008 were estimated at $ 12.19 billion which was 26.35% higher than non-oil imports of $ 9.65 billion in February 2007. Non-oil imports during April-February 2007-08 were valued at $ 144.88 billion which was 31.83% higher than the level of such imports valued at $ 109.902 billion in April-February 2007. The country’s trade deficit for April-February 2007-08 was estimated at $ 72.46 billion which was higher than the deficit at $ 49.32 billion during April-February 2006-07.