Policy space for digital industrialization: WTO members urged to retain flexibility to support developing countries' e commerce participation.
India urged preservation of policy space for digital industrialization at the WTO, stressing members must retain regulatory options to promote domestic digital sectors. It called for re examination of the implications of the moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions for developing countries and LDCs, and urged investment in physical and digital infrastructure, supportive regulatory frameworks, and digital capabilities, citing India's Digital Public Infrastructure approach as a model to democratise technology and spur large scale digitalisation.

Electronic Data Interchange rollout at land customs stations expands trade facilitation and regional ease of doing business.
The Finance Minister will inaugurate Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) at Land Customs Stations in the North East to enhance ease of doing business and regional trade, and CBIC will hand over 101 Customs seized antiquities to Archaeological Survey of India zonal units at seven locations, evidencing coordination between customs enforcement and cultural property custodianship.

Startup ecosystem collaboration convenes startups, investors and government partners to showcase entrepreneurship and enable investor matchmaking at national summit.
A national startup convening organised by major industry associations with government commerce and industry partners will aggregate startups, investors, incubators and accelerators to facilitate networking, capacity building and investor matchmaking through thematic tracks, mentoring sessions, masterclasses, keynotes and roundtables, and a curtain raiser will present institutional participation and confirm stakeholder engagement.

Public stockholding for food security: call for a permanent WTO solution and constructive negotiation on safeguards.
The statement calls on WTO Members to secure meaningful agriculture outcomes, stressing the need for permanent solutions that reflect developing country priorities. It emphasizes the critical importance of public stockholding for food security and urges adoption of Proposal JOB/AG/229 as a basis for a permanent solution. It reaffirms the right to a Special Safeguard Mechanism (SSM) to respond to import surges and price declines, invites engagement on the African Group submission, and insists on preserving Special and Differential Treatment and non trade concerns in negotiations.

Organic export promotion: new APEDA division and NPOP overhaul to align standards and strengthen certification oversight.
APEDA has established a dedicated organic promotion division to coordinate organic export strategies, including roadmaps for Uttarakhand and Sikkim to improve farming practices, certification, and export product selection. The National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) will be revised to harmonize with international regulations and prospective Mutual Recognition Agreements, with IT modernization to strengthen oversight of Certification Bodies and certified operators, incorporating geo-tagging and geo-location for inspections.

Export promotion of ODOP and GI products expanded through FPO exporter conversion and sea protocols enabling long-distance shipments.
APEDA has implemented export-promotion measures prioritising ODOP and GI products and non-traditional sourcing, organising over 27 flag-offs to expand destinations. It has transformed 119 FPOs/FPCs into direct exporters through capacity-building, and, in collaboration with research institutes, is developing sea protocols for long-distance fresh-produce shipments to reduce logistics costs and enable trial shipments to major markets.

Customs technology modernization: AI and automation to streamline clearances and strengthen border control for trade facilitation.
The conference emphasised the transformative role of AI and related technologies in Customs functioning, advocating business process simplification, automation and digitisation (including remote LCS), smart infrastructure, Track and Trace and K9 deployment to expedite clearances and bolster border control. It highlighted risk based clearance practices that expedite most consignments and called for human resources reform, upskilling, inter agency coordination, and standardisation of processes under a 'Reform, Perform, Transform' approach to reduce dwell time and compliance costs while maintaining security.

Export facilitation for bananas via sea protocols expands market access and supports women entrepreneurs in long distance fresh fruit shipments.
APEDA-facilitated sea shipment of Indian bananas to Russia used developed sea protocols to maintain quality, with logistics from farmer procurement and packhouse grading to containerised shipping, and emphasised financial assistance, women entrepreneur support, collaboration with research institutions, and broader export promotion measures aimed at expanding market diversification and increasing export-driven farmer income.

Agricultural export facilitation expands market access for farmers through capacity building and new export infrastructure in Purvanchal.
APEDA organised a Capacity Building cum Buyer Seller Meet in Mirzapur to boost agri and processed food exports from Purvanchal by providing training, market linkages and buyer engagement for FPOs and farmers. The initiative foregrounds export infrastructure development, notably the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Niryat Suvidha Kendra (a 5 acre facility with a packhouse, training centre and offices for export agencies) and enhanced cold chain, quarantine and clearance services at Varanasi Airport to facilitate single window export operations and connect producers to markets.

Exchange rate determination for customs: official rupee conversion rates set for imports and exports, effective mid February.
The Board prescribes rupee equivalents for listed foreign currencies for customs purposes, effective 16 February 2024, superseding the prior notification of 1 February 2024. Rates are separated for imported goods and export goods and appear in two schedules: Schedule I (per unit rates for major currencies) and Schedule II (rates per 100 units for certain currencies). These notified rates are the official conversion rates for customs valuation and procedures until further amendment or supersession.

Merchandise export growth driven by key manufacturing and pharmaceutical sectors improves trade balance amid stronger services exports.
Merchandise exports showed year on year growth in January 2024, driven by Petroleum Products, Engineering Goods, Electronic Goods and Pharmaceuticals, with 18 of 30 merchandise sectors expanding. Services exports and the services surplus increased for April-January 2023-24, offsetting a decline in merchandise exports and contributing to an overall narrowing of the trade deficit; non petroleum, non gems & jewellery trade recorded reduced imports year on year.

Trade Agreement negotiations advance as India and Peru progress working groups toward pragmatic consensus and greater market access.
India and Peru held the sixth round of negotiations in Lima to advance a comprehensive Trade Agreement, with nine in person working groups addressing Trade in Goods, Rules of Origin, Trade in Services, Movement of Natural Persons, Customs Procedures and Trade Facilitation, Dispute Settlement, and institutional provisions. Over seventy delegates from multiple ministries participated, while additional technical groups continue virtually; parties aim for pragmatic consensus and have scheduled the next round for April 2024.

Agricultural export facilitation enables farmer-led millet value-added shipments to international markets through startup support and value-chain control.
APEDA supported around five hundred startups in marketing and exporting millet-based value-added products; a Sangrur farmer exported a first consignment of ready-to-cook millets and flours to an Australian importer. The exporter retains end-to-end value chain control-cultivation, primary and secondary processing, and international-quality packaging-meeting buyer requirements and exemplifying a facilitator-driven model to expand millet export market access and scale value-added exports.

Verification of official summons: confirm DIN authenticity via the department's verification utility and report suspected fraud promptly.
Fraudsters have been sending counterfeit summons that include forged Document Identification Numbers (DIN), which are not issued by the department. Taxpayers should verify any summons through the VERIFY CBIC-DIN window or the DIN utility on the official portal and report suspicious communications to the relevant jurisdictional office so appropriate complaints, including to police, can be pursued.

Export promotion of millets expanded through APEDA assistance and market development measures to strengthen global export linkages.
APEDA assists registered millet exporters under the Agriculture & Processed Food Export Promotion Scheme via Infrastructure Development, Quality Development and Market Development components, including Buyer Seller Meets, engagements with Indian Missions, an Export Promotion Forum, a millet web portal, a 24x7 Virtual Trade Fair and participation in international trade fairs to enhance export market linkages.

Logistics efficiency reforms improve trade facilitation through national master plan and digital platforms, reducing release times.
An Inter Ministerial team and a three tier National Committee for Trade Facilitation target improvements across the six LPI parameters, with 27 infrastructure action points under NTFAP. Policy and digital measures - the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan, National Logistics Policy, Unified Logistics Interface Platform, and Logistics Data Bank - aim to improve multimodal connectivity, digitize track and trace for containerized EXIM cargo, and reduce logistics costs and release times through ministry-led initiatives such as railway electrification and port automation.

Mandatory quality norms boost toy exports as manufacturers secure international orders and partnerships, enhancing market competitiveness.
Mandatory quality norms, an increase in customs duty, and the National Action Plan on Toys (NAPT) have incentivised higher manufacturing standards, leading to international orders and partnership interest at the Nuremberg International Toy Fair. These policy measures are linked to a shift in buyer sourcing toward India, capacity expansion by domestic manufacturers, improved export performance, and reduced imports, collectively enhancing the global competitiveness of "Made in India" toys.

Toys quality regulation mandates BIS certification, testing and duty measures to strengthen domestic manufacturing and export access.
Key regulatory and fiscal measures include mandatory Bureau of Indian Standards certification under the Toys (Quality Control) Order, DGFT-mandated sample testing with rejection or destruction on failure, BIS licensing with temporary relaxations for micro units and registered artisans, increased Basic Customs Duty on specified toy HS codes to curb sub-standard imports, a multi-ministry National Action Plan promoting design and manufacturing, and tariff-free export access under recent trade agreements to enhance Made in India toy exports.

Bilateral Investment Treaty strengthens investor confidence and facilitates increased foreign and overseas direct investment flows.
Approval is granted for the Bilateral Investment Treaty between India and the United Arab Emirates, authorising its signing and ratification to strengthen investor confidence and facilitate foreign investment and Overseas Direct Investment, with anticipated positive effects on employment, domestic manufacturing, import substitution and exports in support of self reliance.