REUTERS Mumbai Trade ministry official Satya Srinivas told India's trade deficit widens reporters India's December exports were By By Siddhi Nayak impacted by the Red Sea crisis. India's merchandise exports in December MUMBAI, Sept 28 (Reuters) - India's trade stood at $38.45 billion, while imports were deficit widened in the recent quarter, $58.25 billion, government data showed on producing a "substantial widening" of the Monday. deficit due to oil and higher core imports rising, and services exports slowing further, said Madhavi Arora, lead economist at Emkay Global Financial Services. The trade HANJIN deficit widened more than expected to 204-24 $19.8 billion. Nearly 80% of India's merchandise trade seac with Europe passes through the Red Sea where shipping has been attacked by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi militants, in a spillover from Israel's more than three- month war with Hamas in Gaza