However, imports grew by 5 per cent after four months of decline, to USD 41.77 billion, from USD 39.75 billion in September 2011.
Trade deficit in September 2011 was USD 13.19 billion.
"The contraction in global demand and deceleration in manufacturing are primary reasons for decline in exports," Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) President Rafeeque Ahmed said.
However, the situation may improve in the second half of the fiscal, he said.
For the cumulative April-September period, exports dipped by 6.79 per cent to USD 143.6 billion from USD 154.1 billion in the same period last year.
"The markets in Europe, the US and Japan are still not showing healthy growth," Ahmed said.
Sharing similar views, Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) Chairman A Sakthivel said the raising cost of fuel and inflation is hurting the exports.
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Imports during the first half of the fiscal contracted by 4.36 per cent to USD 232.92 billion. Trade deficit during the period stood at USD 89.25 billion from USD 89.39 billion in April-September 2011.
Oil imports during September increased by 30.74 per cent to USD 14.09 billion from USD 10.77 billion in the corresponding period last year.
The trade deficit is a cause of concern as it leads to increase in the country's current account deficit. India witnessed such large trade gap in May 2011, when the figure was USD 18.4 billion.