India's trade deficit widened marginally to $15.6 billion from July's $15.5 billion as export fell at a sharper rate than the imports for the month of August, according to the data released by the Ministry of Commerce Monday.

Exports fell 9.7 percent to $22.3 billion in the month while imports declined 5.08 percent to $37.9 billion on a year-on-year basis.

The cumulative trade deficit for the April-August period narrowed to $71.7 billion, compared to the $76.2 billion deficit in the same period last year.

Oil imports in August stood at $12.88 billion, up 2.96 percent compared to $12.5 billion in the corresponding period last year. Non-oil imports in August declined 8.74 percent to $25.1 billion, compared to the non-oil imports of $ 27.5 billion in the same month last year.

Oil imports for the April-August period stood at $66.7 billion and non-oil imports for the same period last year was at $124.5 billion.

India