India’s export strategy principally focuses on market diversification, MSME empowerment, deepening integration with global value chains and positioning the country as a trusted trading partner

Business Desk mumbai

Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Tuesday asserted that India’s drive to expand its economy and generate employment will depend decisively on its ability to scale up exports — a task, he emphasised, that demands a markedly stronger partnership between the Centre and the states.

Presiding over the fourth meeting of the reconstituted Board of Trade (BoT) in New Delhi, Goyal noted that the Indian economy had demonstrated “exceptional resilience” amid global turbulence. The government’s priority now, he said, is to accelerate export growth with sharper focus, deeper coordination and unwavering commitment to quality.

Outlining the contours of the Rs 25,060-crore Export Promotion Mission (EPM), he said the initiative would introduce targeted schemes to help landlocked states strengthen their export capabilities. The commerce ministry, he added, would work closely with states and relevant agencies to incorporate their feedback and swiftly resolve emerging challenges.

Goyal underlined that India’s stature as a reliable global supplier rests squarely on “absolute consistency in quality”, calling for rigorous adherence to high standards across all products and consignments. He urged states to share proven models—particularly in Ease of Doing Business and single-window clearances—to cultivate healthy competition and streamline exporter facilitation across the country.

Reaffirming the BoT’s role as the apex advisory body on foreign trade policy, the minister highlighted significant progress on earlier commitments, most notably the rapid expansion of the Trade Connect ePlatform. Launched in September 2024, the platform now integrates services from Indian missions, the Department of Commerce, DGFT, export promotion councils and Exim Bank. With more than 62 lakh visits, 18 lakh users and over 22 lakh digitised Certificates of Origin, he said, it is fast emerging as a unified digital gateway for exporters, particularly MSMEs.

He also emphasised the importance of policy continuity, citing the extension of the RoDTEP scheme until 31 March 2026, and noted that India’s trade diplomacy has advanced robustly, marked by recent FTAs including the India–EFTA TEPA (2024) and the India–UK CETA (2025).

The newly launched EPM, Goyal said, would institutionalise a system-driven, whole-of-government framework, drawing on industry and academia to support sector-specific strategies and long-term export growth.