Election season is in full swing, and as policymakers get caught up in the political cycle, India’s exporters found help in an unexpected place. Two US senators -- John Cornyn and Mark Warner -- asked the US State Department to delay the final decision on India’s GSP eligibility until after the Indian elections are concluded. They hope that the new government will take the issue up on priority, but given the fraught nature of these general elections, there is no guarantee this will happen. In the meantime, Indian exporters will be hoping the US State Department listens to Senators Cornyn and Warner and gives a short reprieve to the worried Indian export sector. Further unexpected good news came from RBI’s monthly trade data release, which revealed that exports actually increased in March 2019, as compared to the same period last year, reducing India’s trade deficit as well. Various sectors such as steel have also posted positive signs of a small revival; however, Indian policymakers recognize that India’s exports are not out of danger yet, and will be keen to resolve longstanding global trade issues at a mini-ministerial meet of the WTO to be held next month. As we move closer to the as-yet-uncertain conclusion of the General Elections, all eyes -- global and domestic -- will be keeping a careful watch on economic indicators from the world’s largest democracy. Given the rather tense state of international trade, economic upheaval in India could be catastrophic, and will be an outcome everyone is eager to avoid.