India's trade deficit to widen to 154 billion in 2011/12

India's trade deficit is forecast to widen in the 2010/11 fiscal year as its rebounding economy raises demand for manufacturing and oil imports, while the euro zone debt crisis hits exports, mainly in software.

A wider deficit would pressure the partially convertible rupee, which has lost more than 5 per cent from its 2010 peak of 44.18 to the US dollar.

India's trade deficit was $117.3 billion in 2009/10, down from $118.7 billion in 2008/09. But a Reuters survey in April forecast the gap would widen to $132.70 billion in 2010/11 and $154.50 billion in 2011/12.