Piyush Goyal Chairs Key FTA and SEZ Reform Talks with Export Bodies in Delhi

In a significant push toward enhancing India’s export competitiveness and driving progress toward a $5 trillion economy by 2027, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal, chaired a high-level consultative meeting with Export Promotion Councils (EPCs) and Industry Associations at Vanijya Bhawan, New Delhi today. The event brought together key stakeholders including senior officials from the Department of Commerce, Department of Revenue, and a wide array of industry leaders representing multiple export sectors.

The agenda focused primarily on the strategic use and future of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), Special Economic Zones (SEZs) performance and reforms, as well as digital infrastructure development—particularly the ICEGATE system integration with SEZs.

FTAs in Focus: Utilisation, Challenges, and Forward Strategy

Discussions around India’s FTAs were robust, with Minister Goyal inviting feedback on both concluded and ongoing trade negotiations. Industry leaders shared their experiences, challenges, and sectoral-specific insights on the utilisation of FTAs signed with partners such as the UAE, Australia, and Mauritius. Emphasis was placed on identifying bottlenecks hindering full utilisation of preferential market access, such as complex documentation, limited awareness, and tariff-related ambiguities.

The Minister reiterated the government’s commitment to pursue balanced, mutually beneficial FTAs while addressing concerns raised by domestic industries. Goyal emphasized that trade agreements must not only open up new markets but also safeguard Indian interests and enable competitive parity across sectors.

Looking ahead, participants discussed the potential of proposed FTAs with the UK, EU, and other ASEAN countries. Industry members expressed optimism about improved access to international markets, provided that agreements ensure reciprocity and ease of compliance.

Reinvigorating SEZs: Reforms and Strategic Utilisation

The Department of Commerce delivered a comprehensive presentation on the performance of India’s Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and detailed recent reforms introduced to make them more efficient, inclusive, and business-friendly. The reforms aim to:

• Simplify procedural requirements to reduce compliance burden.

• Promote economies of scale through aggregated exports and supply chain synergy.

• Utilise idle capacity in existing SEZ infrastructure.

• Integrate SEZs more closely with the domestic tariff area (DTA).

These initiatives are aligned with the larger goal of leveraging SEZs as engines for economic growth and achieving the $5 trillion economic milestone by 2027.

Minister Goyal urged industry leaders to adopt new-age manufacturing technologies, explore scale-oriented production, and use SEZs as launchpads for export diversification and employment generation.

ICEGATE Implementation: Digital Connectivity for SEZs

In a breakout session, representatives from the Department of Commerce and the Department of Revenue engaged with trade members on the ICEGATE (Indian Customs Electronic Gateway) platform’s implementation across SEZs. The goal is to enhance digital integration and transparency in customs procedures, enabling faster clearances and improving overall efficiency.

Officials discussed system readiness, timelines, and feedback from pilot implementations. Industry participants welcomed this move as a key step toward full digitalisation of trade processes and a major boost to the ease of doing business in export sectors.

Cross-Sector Participation and Industry Response

The event witnessed enthusiastic participation from EPCs and industry associations representing Textiles, Apparel, Engineering, Medical Devices, Gems & Jewellery, AYUSH, Leather, Services, and more. Representatives from umbrella organizations like FIEO and ASSOCHAM also voiced support for the government's inclusive approach.

Industry leaders lauded Minister Goyal’s proactive engagement and expressed confidence in the government’s resolve to streamline trade policy, open new markets, and support exporters through reforms and digital empowerment.

A Call to Action for Industry: Atmanirbhar Bharat through Export Excellence

Minister Goyal closed the session by emphasizing the need for Indian industry to rise to the occasion. He called on stakeholders to:

• Ramp up domestic manufacturing capabilities.

• Reduce dependency on imports, especially in critical sectors.

• Diversify export baskets and penetrate non-traditional markets.

• Invest in R&D and quality assurance to meet global standards.

He reiterated the government’s twin focus on facilitating trade and strengthening India’s self-reliance under the Atmanirbhar Bharat vision.

“Our exporters are not just economic agents, they are brand ambassadors of New India. The world is looking to us for resilient, reliable, and responsible supply chains,” Goyal concluded.