Trade and investment partnership expands India Africa economic ties through preferential tariff access, exhibitions and targeted business delegations.
The India-Africa economic partnership has developed into a coordinated trade and investment engagement: Indian investments across sectors have reached substantial levels and bilateral trade has risen significantly, with a policy objective to raise trade further by 2015. The Government is using diplomatic and promotional measures - including a Duty Free Tariff Preference Scheme for eligible African countries, high level business delegations, trade exhibitions, business seminars and cultural exchanges - to expand market access, facilitate partnerships, and promote sectoral diversification and capacity building.

SEZ exports growth underpins national export share and employment while awards incentivise high-performing export units.
SEZ export performance for 2010-11 shows substantial year on year growth and a meaningful share of national exports, with reported employment supported by SEZ units and aggregate capital investment noted as of the financial year end. The SEZ Council and an Export Promotion Council scheme (EPCES) award annual Export Awards to EOUs and SEZ units across multiple sectors to recognise and incentivise export performance.

Trade cooperation to strengthen India Africa linkages, including DFTP implementation and WTO capacity building for developing countries.
Ministers will exchange views on Doha Round multilateral negotiations and safeguarding developing countries' interests, discuss strengthening trade and investment relations, and address access to the Indian market through implementation of the Duty Free Tariff Preference scheme for LDCs, alongside proposed Indian technical assistance on WTO Dispute Settlement and WTO Negotiations capacity building.

Deemed export policy review invites stakeholder submissions; committee to harmonize notifications and reassess policy priorities.
A ministerially constituted committee chaired by the Director General of Foreign Trade invites stakeholder submissions by e-mail and will examine the Deemed Export policy to harmonize various Customs Notifications with the policy, improve drafting to remove ambiguities, and reassess alignment with Government priorities, conducting consultations with senior officials and preparing recommendations.

Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement pathway to deepen trade and investment ties between India and Australia, launching formal negotiations.
Launch of formal negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement between India and Australia to broaden merchandise trade, remove non tariff barriers to services, and facilitate two way investment, with negotiation rounds commencing in India and a parallel CEOs Forum to mobilise private sector input and advance sectoral cooperation in minerals, energy, services, skills and agriculture.

Free trade agreement to expand services and investment access between India and New Zealand across agriculture, technology and professional mobility.
Negotiations to conclude a bilateral Free Trade Agreement within eight-to-ten months are intended to expand market access and investment between India and New Zealand, with core emphasis on services (IT-enabled services, financial services, tourism, education), facilitation of professional mobility through mutual recognition and working holiday schemes, and targeted cooperation in agri-processing, post-harvest technologies and cold-chain logistics, alongside collaboration in pharmaceuticals, engineering goods, textiles, film and clean energy.

Import of sensitive items increases while share in total imports falls, with shifts toward crude edible oils and varied commodities.
Import of sensitive items increased in April-January 2011 compared with the corresponding period of the previous year while their share in gross imports fell slightly; gross imports overall rose during the same interval.

Export Doubling Strategy seeks to double merchandise exports through sectoral targeting, market diversification and policy support.
The Government's Export Doubling Strategy sets aggregate and sectoral export expansion targets over a three year horizon, prioritizing engineering goods, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, electronics, textiles, gems and jewellery, leather, agricultural and marine products, and petroleum. It pairs sector targeting with market diversification toward Asia, Africa and Latin America and with value chain upgrading in established markets. The plan stresses technology and R&D promotion, brand and quality upgrades, continued incentive schemes, preferential market access, transaction cost reduction, increased plan support and strengthened trade infrastructure as necessary support measures.

Export growth outpaced import growth, narrowing the cumulative trade deficit and highlighting stronger export performance year on year.
Exports rose substantially year on year in March 2011 and for April-March 2010-11, while imports increased at lower rates; provisional Dollar and Rupee aggregates and percentage growths are provided. Oil and non oil imports both increased, with non oil imports showing higher percentage growth; overall, the cumulative trade deficit for April-March 2010-11 narrowed compared with the prior year.