The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) organised a stakeholder workshop in New Delhi to discuss Ease of Doing Business (EoDB), opportunities arising from India’s Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and ongoing reforms aimed at facilitating trade and strengthening domestic industry.
Held at Bharat Mandapam, the workshop brought together representatives of industry associations, trade bodies and sectoral organisations, along with senior officials from DPIIT and the Department of Commerce. The programme was followed by an interactive session with Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Shri Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Shri Jitin Prasada.
During the interaction, Shri Goyal outlined the Government’s approach towards improving export facilitation through a combination of physical infrastructure and digital platforms. He said integrated Commerce and Industry offices are being envisaged in major cities so that businesses can access multiple government departments and agencies through a common platform rather than having to approach separate offices.
The Minister also held a detailed interaction with industry representatives and directed officials to examine several suggestions raised during the discussions. The meeting marked the first such interaction with a regional industry association.
Representatives of the roller chain and industrial components manufacturing sector highlighted the impact of recent policy measures on domestic manufacturing. According to industry representatives, interventions such as Quality Control Orders (QCOs), Minimum Import Price (MIP) provisions and increased import duties have contributed to substantial sectoral expansion. The sector reported a 15-fold growth, fresh investments of around ₹500 crore and the creation of approximately 5,000 jobs.
A major announcement during the interaction was the proposed deployment of nearly 1,000 trained local personnel at the district and State levels. Equipped with knowledge of regional languages, these personnel are expected to provide handholding assistance to exporters and prospective exporters. Support would also be provided through industry chambers and regional associations.
Shri Goyal also briefed participants about the Trade Connect platform being developed to provide exporters with product-specific and HSN-code-wise information. The platform is expected to offer details on destination-country tariffs, FTA opportunities and procedures for accessing preferential benefits under trade agreements. Digital and artificial intelligence-enabled tools are also envisaged to help businesses identify export opportunities and infrastructure-related gaps.
The workshop featured presentations on several DPIIT initiatives, including Startup India, Intellectual Property Rights, investment facilitation, the National Single Window System, industrial infrastructure and reforms concerning the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO). Officials highlighted efforts to simplify regulations, rationalise procedures, digitise services, reduce compliance burdens and improve approval mechanisms.
A separate session focused on India’s recent FTAs and trade facilitation measures. Participants were briefed on opportunities and obligations associated with trade agreements, along with reforms concerning documentation, digitalisation and simplification of export and import procedures.
Representatives from pharmaceuticals, textiles, man-made fibres, copper, automotive and engineering, air-conditioning, logistics and other sectors raised concerns related to export competitiveness, regulatory procedures, FTA utilisation, logistics, domestic supply chains, standards and testing infrastructure. MSMEs and women entrepreneurs also participated in the discussions.
Industry representatives called for greater interoperability between government systems and international trade platforms. They particularly highlighted the need for electronic transmission and verification of Certificates of Origin under FTAs and suggested extending such systems to additional trade partners. Greater integration of the export cycle involving DGFT, Customs, banks and other stakeholders was also discussed.
Other issues included documentation delays, sea-freight costs, rules of origin, import competition, testing and certification facilities and regulatory certainty for MSMEs. Participants also stressed the importance of maintaining international quality standards to strengthen the credibility of Indian exports.
Industry associations and Export Promotion Councils were encouraged to promote awareness about destination-market standards and help identify cases involving fraudulent, substandard or non-compliant manufacturing for appropriate regulatory action.
The workshop underscored the Government’s continued focus on closer Government–Industry collaboration to address practical trade barriers, strengthen manufacturing and supply chains, and help Indian businesses make greater use of opportunities in international markets.
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Author: Shivam
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