Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Monday chaired a high-level meeting with Export Promotion Councils (EPCs) and industry bodies at Bharat Mandapam to outline the next phase of strengthening India’s export ecosystem in the wake of the India–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement.
The meeting saw participation from representatives of 30 EPCs, along with senior officials from the Department of Commerce and the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT).
Addressing the gathering, Goyal highlighted that India’s total merchandise and services exports reached a record $860.09 billion in FY 2025–26, registering a 4.22% year-on-year growth despite global economic uncertainties. He noted that key sectors such as engineering goods, electronics, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, gems and jewellery, and agri-based products have continued to drive export momentum.
Describing the milestone as a “springboard,” the minister set an ambitious target of $2 trillion in exports by 2030 under the Viksit Bharat vision. He urged exporters to fully leverage free trade agreements with developed economies to expand market access, boost outbound shipments, and generate employment.
During the session, the DGFT presented a comprehensive export reform roadmap, which included sectoral performance reviews, a KPI-based evaluation framework for EPCs, and a push to promote e-commerce exports. The plan also emphasised the “Districts as Export Hubs” initiative, the creation of a Digital Trade Academy, and measures to address supply chain disruptions arising from the West Asia crisis. Steps to expedite the Export Obligation Discharge Certificate (EODC) process were also outlined.
The DGFT underscored the importance of EPCs functioning as equal partners with the government in diversifying export markets, onboarding more MSMEs into global trade, and driving technology adoption to ensure measurable outcomes.
Industry representatives flagged concerns over rising compliance costs, stringent testing requirements, and persistent challenges faced by MSMEs in accessing international markets. Goyal assured continued government support through facilitation measures and targeted interventions aimed at reducing entry barriers and improving ease of doing business.
Key industry bodies present included the Federation of Indian Export Organisations, Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council, Apparel Export Promotion Council, Engineering Export Promotion Council of India, NASSCOM, FICCI, ASSOCHAM, and PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
The minister also reviewed progress under the Export Promotion Mission and called on EPCs to broaden the exporter base and explore new markets, reiterating the government’s commitment to building a robust and facilitative trade ecosystem through reforms and close industry collaboration.
