FILE PHOTO - A worker walks past stacked containers at Thar Dry Port in Sanand in the western Indian state of Gujarat April 1, 2011. REUTERS/Amit Dave/File Photo

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India’s trade deficit narrowed to $11.45 billion in July from a month ago, following a slowdown in merchandise imports, government data showed on Monday.

The trade shortfall was $12.96 billion in June.

Asia’s third-largest economy imported goods worth $33.99 billion last month, up 15.42 percent from a year ago. The figure was lower than imports of $36.52 billion in June.

Gold imports, however, in July nearly doubled from last year to $2.1 billion. Merchandise exports for July came in at $22.54 billion, up 3.94 percent year-on-‘

year.