Trade facilitation reforms streamline customs procedures and logistics to enable faster, predictable cross border clearances and lower transaction costs.
SASEC advances regional trade facilitation through customs modernization, harmonized procedures and logistics improvements to secure faster, more predictable cross border clearances and lower transaction costs. Key measures include new Customs laws and automated systems, adoption of the Revised Kyoto Convention (RKC) provisions (pre arrival processing, risk management, post clearance audit), trade portals, trusted trader programs, BBIN through transport arrangements, and integrated logistics solutions supported by ADB and South South cooperation.

Strategic Partnership Agreement: Joint Working Group advances bilateral trade cooperation, transit, customs and sectoral investment opportunities.
A Joint Working Group constituted under the Strategic Partnership Agreement met at Commerce Secretary level to advance bilateral trade and investment cooperation; discussions targeted operational facilitation in transit of goods, business visas, trade in pharmaceuticals and rough gemstones, an air freight corridor, and customs cooperation, and identified sectoral investment opportunities in renewable energy, power, standards, agriculture, transportation and public health.

Pharmaceutical export barcoding requirement, with temporary exemption for small scale manufacturers from parent child packaging uploads.
Bar coding is mandatory for pharmaceutical exports, with manufacturers required to print GSI standard bar codes at multiple packaging levels for tracking; the regime was phased in after stakeholder consultation. Regulatory relief exempted manufacturers from maintaining and uploading the Parent Child packaging relationship to the central portal for a transitional period, and SSIs received a further extension of that exemption.

Free Trade Agreement negotiations advance with feasibility studies and meetings for agreements including investment chapters.
Free Trade Agreements negotiations have advanced through proposals from Georgia and the Eurasian Economic Union, prompting a Joint Feasibility Study with Georgia and acceptance of a feasibility report with the Eurasian Economic Union and its Member States; a Trade Negotiation Committee meeting will be held by mutual consent. Parallel negotiations are proceeding with multiple partners and groupings, each anticipated to include specific investment chapters designed to increase mutual investment flows and foster economic growth and employment.

Export promotion measures expand incentives and infrastructure to facilitate Indian manufacturing hubs and investment in CLMV countries.
Creation of a Project Development Fund to facilitate Indian investment and manufacturing hubs in CLMV countries, paired with export promotion measures: Foreign Trade Policy 2015-20 and schemes (MEIS, SEIS), the Trade Infrastructure for Export Scheme to improve export infrastructure and connectivity, duty relief mechanisms (Advance Authorisation, DFIA, EPCG, drawback/refund), Interest Equalization on shipment credit, financial support to trade organisations, NiryatBandhu mentoring for MSME exporters, and a Single Window trade clearance (SWIFT).

Export incentive rationalisation: unified merchandise and services reward schemes with streamlined electronic procedures to boost trade competitiveness.
The Foreign Trade Policy 2015-2020 consolidates merchandise incentives into the Merchandise Exports from India Scheme (MEIS) awarding transferable duty credit scrips, introduces the Services Exports from India Scheme (SEIS) for notified service providers, and implements an Interest Equalization Scheme for rupee export credit. Duty free import facilities (Advance Authorisation, DFIA, EPCG) and deemed export relief continue. Procedural reforms include e IEC, reduced documentation, online inter ministerial SCOMET consultations, eBRC data sharing, simplified application forms, and new support measures such as the Trade Infrastructure for Export Scheme and the Niryat Bandhu exporter mentoring programme.

Foreign direct investment approvals and referrals for higher-level clearance shape cross-border share transfers and investing company permissions.
Government action from the FIPB meeting: nine proposals approved covering share transfers, post-facto approval for ESOPs and downstream acquisitions, expansion to 100% foreign ownership, and conversion of operating subsidiaries into investing company roles; three proposals referred to CCEA for permission on timeframe and compounding deletion, rights issuance within existing foreign shareholding caps, and major telecom acquisition; six deferred over ownership, business-model and retrospective regularisation issues; three rejected for unsuitable deletions or retrospective allotments; three found outside FIPB remit.

In situ promotion enables ITS officers' elevation to senior administrative grade with cadre-adjustment conditions and empanelment eligibility.
One-time in situ promotion advances specified ITS officers to the Senior Administrative Grade on personal basis, conditional upon their later adjustment against actual SAG cadre vacancies; the posts they presently occupy remain counted at Junior Administrative Grade for cadre-strength and retirement accounting. The approval aims to retain senior trade specialists and render them eligible for empanelment under the Central Staffing Scheme while preserving cadre integrity through conditional vacancy adjustment.

State control over SEZ land: central government does not acquire land and approvals depend on state recommendations.
Central approval of SEZs follows State recommendation while land remains a State subject; the Central Government does not acquire land for SEZs, and land for notified SEZs is supplied either by direct purchase by developers or by State Governments acquiring land through their agencies and leasing it to developers under State policies.

Export incentive schemes expanded to boost merchandise and services exports through transferable duty credits, credit support and facilitation.
To strengthen exports the Government implemented policy measures including the Merchandise Exports from India Scheme (MEIS) which issues transferable duty credit scrips linked to realized FOB for covered tariff lines; the Services Exports from India Scheme (SEIS) rewarding notified service providers based on net foreign exchange; the Niryat Bandhu mentoring initiative for new and MSME exporters; trade facilitation reforms reducing mandatory documents and enabling online filing and payments; an Interest Equalization Scheme for export credit; and continued access to duty free inputs and capital goods through Advance Authorization, DFIA, EPCG and drawback/refund mechanisms.

Bilateral trade facilitation with neighbouring countries to strengthen cross-border commerce and support exporters through targeted assistance.
Proactive bilateral trade engagement seeks to strengthen cross-border commerce and resolve trade issues, while coordinating improvements to Land Customs Stations and Integrated Check Posts. Establishment of Border Haats at the India-Bangladesh border promotes local markets for border communities. Exporters and trade bodies receive support under the Market Access Initiative and Market Development Assistance schemes to enable participation in events abroad and enhance export promotion.

SEZ policy reform enhances implementation by reducing land thresholds, broad banding sectors, and enabling shared infrastructure.
Review of the Special Economic Zone policy introduced measures to maintain a level playing field while improving implementation: reduction of the minimum land area requirement to half for multi product and sector specific SEZs; sectoral broad banding to group related activities; creation of an agro based food processing sector; permission for dual use of social and commercial infrastructure by SEZ and non SEZ entities; and introduction of online processing for developer and unit activities to enhance operational viability and ease of doing business.

Margin of Preference tariff concessions under APTA expand preferential access for exporters through a new round of tariff exchanges.
APTA, a preferential treaty operating on a Margin of Preference basis, has approved implementation of the fourth round of exchanged tariff concessions, extending preferential tariff treatment on selected textiles and chemical products (including organic and inorganic chemicals, knitted and crocheted fabrics, and apparel articles) to enhance market access for exporters among member States.

Export incentives for silk support domestic bivoltine production and quality upgrades to boost global competitiveness.
Demand contraction in major consuming markets, rising raw material prices, blended product competition and dependence on imported high grade raw silk have constrained silk exports. The Government's response emphasizes boosting domestic bivoltine production through R&D, cluster development, Automatic Reeling Machine units to achieve higher grade silk, product innovation via fibre blending, trade incentives under the Merchandise Export from India Scheme, and Silk Mark branding and export promotion support.

Trade agreement negotiations with the EU continue while India advances textile modernization and export support measures.
Negotiations for a Broad-based Bilateral Trade and Investment Agreement with the EU remain unresolved; concurrently the government advances textile sector competitiveness through technology upgradation financing, integrated parks and skill development, and export-support measures including merchandise export incentives, interest rate subvention for shipment credit, expanded tariff-line coverage, increased duty drawback rates, market access and development assistance, and duty-free import of specified inputs under export entitlement schemes.

Bilateral trade enhancement enabling transport corridor and treaty negotiations to boost engineering export competitiveness and technology transfer.
Announcement of measures to strengthen engineering exports and bilateral commerce with Russia, including advancing a proposed free trade agreement with the Eurasian Economic Union, finalising a revised bilateral investment treaty, developing the International North South Transport Corridor to lower transport time and cost, and a domestic technology upgradation initiative linking R&D labs and academic institutions with industry clusters to transfer cutting-edge technologies to manufacturers and promote export competitiveness.

Single Window online system for international trade: DPR consultancy procured via QCBS with stakeholder, BPR, tech design and phased migration deliverables.
Appointment of a consulting agency to prepare a Detailed Project Report for a fully integrated online Single Window system to provide end to end electronic information, applications, inter agency document exchange and payments for importers and exporters; scope includes stakeholder consultation, process and ICT gap analysis, business process reengineering, technology solution design, study of three comparator countries, phased migration and financial modelling. Selection is by QCBS (70:30) with specified pre qualification, technical scoring, EMD, performance security (15% BG), confidentiality, IP assignment of deliverables to the client, termination rights, and liquidated damages for delay.

Memorandum of Understanding for EXIM cargo handling shifts hinterland movements to sea, reducing logistics costs and road congestion.
Memorandum of Understanding establishes interport cooperation allowing Chennai Port Trust to handle EXIM cargo from Puducherry hinterland: exports will be moved by sea to Chennai Port for shipment on mainline and feeder vessels, and imports for the Puducherry hinterland will be discharged at Chennai Port and transferred to Puducherry Port by small coastal vessels, shifting cargo from road to coastal/sea modes to reduce logistics costs and road congestion.

Trade balance improvement: overall deficit narrowed as merchandise export growth outpaced imports and services net exports moderated.
Merchandise exports strengthened in February 2017 with 17.48% dollar growth and cumulative April-February exports up 2.52% in dollar terms; imports rose sharply in February but cumulative April-February imports declined 3.67% in dollar terms. Oil imports surged in February yet were slightly lower over April-February, while non oil imports fell cumulatively. Services receipts for January 2017 contracted slightly and payments increased, reducing the net services surplus; overall the combined trade deficit for April-February narrowed about 24% in dollar terms.

Export Incentive Framework expanded to include merchandise and services rewards and infrastructure schemes to boost exports.
The Government emphasised expansion of export market diversity and infrastructure, requiring state-level export strategies and Centre-State collaboration. It announced a new export infrastructure scheme and continued incentive frameworks under FTP 2015-20, notably MEIS and SEIS, offering transferable duty credit rewards tied to realized foreign exchange or FOB value. Additional facilitation includes duty-free inputs and capital goods via Advance Authorisations, DFIA, EPCG, drawback/refund mechanisms, and the Niryat Bandhu mentorship programme to develop new exporters.