Goyal Urges Export Councils to Tap New Markets
Commerce Minister reviews Export Promotion Mission, calls for outcome-driven strategy to boost India's exports
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 25th June: Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has called on Export Promotion Councils (EPCs) and industry associations to focus on new markets, new products and measurable outcomes to accelerate India’s export growth.
Chairing a review meeting on the Export Promotion Mission (EPM), Goyal said EPCs should move beyond addressing individual organisational concerns and work with the government on a coordinated strategy to expand exports and leverage opportunities arising from India’s trade agreements.
The Minister announced that the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has finalised a tentative schedule for statutory and trade facilitation committee meetings, which has been uploaded on its website. Committees dealing with norms, policy relaxation, EPCG and export facilitation will now meet on fixed fortnightly schedules, while the Inter-Ministerial Working Group on SCOMET will meet every month to ensure faster disposal of cases and greater predictability for exporters.
Goyal urged EPCs to submit focused and outcome-oriented proposals and strengthen engagement with the DGFT to maximise the benefits of the Export Promotion Mission.
Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agarwal stressed that the success of the mission would depend on effective implementation of initiatives such as export factoring, credit guarantees, certification support, warehousing and logistics. He also called for greater outreach to exporters in collaboration with banks and other stakeholders.
Highlighting the importance of the District Export Hubs initiative, Agarwal urged EPCs to identify products and districts with strong export potential, including GI products, agricultural produce and local handicrafts, and help bring new exporters into the ecosystem through market linkages and capacity building.
Director General of Foreign Trade Santosh Kumar Sarangi emphasised a mission-mode approach to export promotion, focusing on district-level exports, e-commerce and encouraging young entrepreneurs to participate in global trade.
Officials informed the meeting that ten interventions under the Export Promotion Mission have already been rolled out, while consultations are underway on the branding component. The government said refinements have also been introduced based on industry feedback to improve implementation and enhance export competitiveness.
