Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, and Textiles, Shri Piyush Goyal, presided over the second meeting of the reconstituted Board of Trade at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, today. During the meeting, Minister Goyal announced the initiation of work on Trade Connect ePlatform, an intermediary platform aimed at connecting Indian exporters and entrepreneurs with various stakeholders in international trade.
The Trade Connect ePlatform is poised to provide comprehensive facilitation for new and aspiring exporters. It will offer information on regulations, market access, sector-specific trends, and benefits under Free Trade Agreements. Additionally, the platform will serve as a gateway to sector-specific events and provide a channel for addressing trade-related queries to government officials. Minister Goyal anticipates the platform to be ready within the next 3-4 months.
In his opening remarks, Shri Piyush Goyal emphasised the importance of leveraging Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) for national benefit, encouraging startups and MSMEs to explore international markets, and boosting exports, particularly from the services sector. Minister Goyal stressed the need to internationalise goods and services to enhance product quality and achieve economies of scale, advocating for a collaborative effort involving States, the Center, and the Industry.
The Minister underscored the role of states and union territories (UTs) in promoting exports and contributing to the nation-building process. He assured participants that their concerns and suggestions raised during the meeting would be thoroughly addressed.
The Board of Trade meeting concentrated on reviewing export performance to achieve the $2 trillion export target for 2030, discussing priorities outlined in the new Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2023, and formulating strategies for export growth. The reconstituted Board of Trade serves as a platform for regular consultations with trade and industry, advising the government on Foreign Trade Policy-related measures.
The meeting featured presentations on various subjects, including India’s import/export performance, state export performance, the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan for Multimodal Connectivity, leveraging FTAs for export growth, and reforms in the Indian patent system. Ministers from states actively participated, providing state-specific suggestions and expressing commitment to creating a favourable ecosystem for external trade.
Key attendees at the meeting included Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, Ms. Anupriya Patel, Commerce Secretary Shri Sunil Barthwal, Special Secretary Logistics Smt. Sumita Dawra, Director-General of Foreign Trade Shri Santosh Sarangi, and other senior officials. The gathering also included members of Indian Industry, state ministers, and officials from key line ministries, major trade and industry bodies, Export Promotion Councils, and industry associations.
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