Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal chaired a high-level meeting with Export Promotion Councils (EPCs) and industry bodies to strengthen India’s export ecosystem following the signing of the India New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
The meeting, held on April 27 at Bharat Mandapam, brought together representatives from around 30 EPCs, leading industry chambers, and senior officials from the Department of Commerce and the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT).
Discussions focused on strategies to boost exports amid a rapidly evolving global trade environment.
Strong Export Performance
Highlighting recent achievements, Goyal noted that India’s total exports of goods and services reached a record $860.09 billion in FY 2025–26, marking a 4.22% increase over the previous year. Key sectors driving this growth included engineering goods, electronics, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, gems and jewellery, and agriculture-based products.
He emphasized that this performance provides a strong foundation for achieving India’s ambitious target of $2 trillion in exports by 2030 under the “Viksit Bharat” vision.
Leveraging FTAs for Market Expansion
Goyal urged exporters and industry stakeholders to fully utilize Free Trade Agreements with developed economies to expand market access, boost export volumes, and generate employment. He stressed the importance of timely and strategic use of FTAs to maximize their benefits.
DGFT Presents Export Reform Framework
The DGFT presented a comprehensive export reform roadmap aimed at delivering measurable outcomes. Key proposals included a KPI-based performance framework for EPCs, promotion of e-commerce exports, development of districts as export hubs, and the establishment of a Digital Trade Academy.
Additional measures covered addressing global disruptions, including the West Asia crisis, and expediting the issuance of Export Obligation Discharge Certificates (EODC).
The DGFT also emphasized that EPCs should act as active partners in market diversification, inclusion of MSMEs in the export ecosystem, adoption of technology, and ensuring that policy measures translate into measurable national outcomes.
Industry Raises MSME Concerns
Industry representatives highlighted several challenges faced by MSMEs, including high compliance costs, stringent testing requirements, and difficulties in accessing global markets.
In response, Goyal assured continued government support through targeted interventions aimed at reducing entry barriers, improving ease of doing business, and strengthening support under existing export schemes.
Major organizations present at the meeting included the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO), Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council, Engineering Export Promotion Council of India, Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council of India, NASSCOM, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM), and PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry, among others.
The progress of the Export Promotion Mission (EPM) was also reviewed. Goyal encouraged EPCs to increase the number of active exporters, explore new global markets, and strengthen India’s presence in existing markets.
The Commerce Minister reiterated the government’s commitment to building a robust, efficient, and business-friendly export ecosystem through continuous reforms, targeted support, and close collaboration with industry.
He underscored India’s goal of emerging as a reliable global supply chain partner, while accelerating export-led growth in the years ahead.
