MEIS rate enhancement doubles export incentives for readymade garments and made ups, incentivising textile exports and employment.
Enhancement of export incentives under the Merchandise Exports from India Scheme (MEIS) raises the incentive rate for two labour intensive textile subsectors - readymade garments and made ups - from two percent to four percent of export value, effective from 1 November 2017 through 30 June 2018, as a targeted, time limited export promotion measure to incentivise shipments and support employment, with estimated budgetary allocations for the stated years.

Customs mutual assistance enables exchange of information to prevent and investigate customs offences and facilitate legitimate cross-border trade.
Approval of an agreement on co-operation and mutual assistance in customs matters establishes a bilateral legal framework for customs authorities to exchange information and intelligence to prevent and investigate customs offences and to facilitate legitimate trade. The agreement conditions entry into force on fulfillment of each party's domestic requirements and specifically contemplates exchange of information on correctness of customs value declarations and authenticity of certificates of origin to support law application and efficient clearance of goods.

Infrastructure status for logistics enables easier infrastructure lending and broader financing access for specified logistics projects.
Granting of Infrastructure Status to the Logistics Sector inserts Logistics Infrastructure into the Harmonized Master List, defining eligible projects-Multi-modal Logistics Parks, Cold Chain Facilities, and Warehousing Facilities-by minimum investment and area thresholds, and enabling qualifying projects to access infrastructure lending on easier terms, larger external commercial borrowings, longer-tenor funds from insurance and pension funds, and eligibility to borrow from the designated infrastructure financing vehicle.

Free Trade Agreement negotiations to advance bilateral trade cooperation and investment, promoting joint ventures and sectoral collaboration.
Ministerial visit advanced bilateral trade and investment cooperation between India and Russia, including discussions with the Eurasian Economic Commission on initiating Free Trade Agreement negotiations, and sectoral engagement across manufacturing, energy, agriculture, railways, and financial services. Outreach included a business Round Table addressing ease of doing business, sector financing, trade promotion, and invitations to a partnership summit, alongside meetings to promote joint ventures, renewable energy collaboration, and SME and investor engagement under the Make in India initiative.

Removal of export prohibition on pulses allows market access for farmers while retaining trade management tools for supply and prices.
Removal of export prohibition on all varieties of pulses permits exports and empowers an inter departmental Committee chaired by the Secretary, Department of Food & Public Distribution to review and adjust the export/import policy. The Committee may adopt measures including quantitative restrictions, prior registration and import duty changes depending on domestic production, demand, price conditions and international trade volumes.

Exchange rate determination for customs valuation fixes official conversion rates for imports and exports effective immediately.
The Central Board prescribed official conversion rates of specified foreign currencies into Indian rupees for customs valuation of imports and exports, effective 17th November, 2017, superseding the prior notification; Schedule I provides per-unit rates for major currencies and Schedule II provides rates per 100 units where applicable, with separate columns for imported and export goods.

Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement negotiations progressed, prioritizing services cooperation and movement of natural persons.
Commitments to advance negotiations on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) were expressed, with emphasis on the Services Component, exchange of services wish lists, and consideration of provisions for movement of natural persons. Progress on the Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (FIPA) was noted. Parties agreed to explore cooperation among supporting agencies, including export credit insurance collaboration between India's Export Credit Guarantee Corporation Ltd. and Canada's Export Development Canada and possible engagement with the Canadian Commercial Corporation, and discussed institutionalizing a CEO Forum and using geo-spatial analysis for pulse supply forecasting.

Exchange rate determination for import and export goods updated, prescribing specified conversion rates and superseding prior notification.
Under Customs Act authority, the Central Board prescribes conversion rates of specified foreign currencies into Indian rupees for customs valuation of imported and exported goods, effective 3 November 2017, superseding the prior October 2017 notification except as to prior actions. Rates are set in two schedules: Schedule I lists unit rates for major currencies and Schedule II lists rates per 100 units for currencies quoted on that basis, with separate figures for imported goods and export goods.

Ethanol pricing under EBP revised to stabilise supplier remuneration and enable public oil company procurement for the supply season.
Revision of ethanol pricing under the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme fixes a delivered price for ethanol supplied to Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies for the upcoming supply season, with Goods and Services Tax and transportation charges payable additionally; the price fixation is intended to stabilise supplier remuneration and enable OMC procurement.

Customs cooperation enables information exchange to prevent and investigate customs offences and facilitate legitimate trade.
The Cabinet approved signing and ratification of an Agreement with Armenia on cooperation and mutual assistance in customs matters, which will enter into force after reciprocal diplomatic notification that national legal requirements are fulfilled. The Agreement establishes a legal framework for Customs authorities to exchange information and intelligence to ensure correct application of Customs laws, prevent and investigate Customs offences, and facilitate efficient clearance of goods, including exchange of information on declared Customs value and verification of certificates of origin.

Ex-post facto approval of bilateral trade agreement strengthens trade, investment and technical cooperation framework between partner states.
Ex-post facto Cabinet approval was granted for a bilateral trade Agreement signed on 5 October 2017 replacing the 1982 Agreement; the Agreement provides measures to encourage trade, broaden economic cooperation, and facilitate investment and technical cooperation as the updated governing framework between the two states.