International trade engagement boosts India's global economic standing and accelerates FTA negotiations and export-led growth.
India is pursuing accelerated free trade agreement negotiations and outward market engagement to elevate its global economic importance, emphasising export diversification and scaling goods and services exports. Policy emphasis rests on leveraging the demographic dividend, acquiring technology, strengthening supply chain partnerships and using Indian missions abroad to expand market access. These trade initiatives are presented alongside structural macroeconomic reforms that have produced low inflation and stronger foreign exchange reserves, framing a long term trajectory of economic resilience and export led growth.

Protected species prohibition bars possession and export of ambergris, prompting seizure and arrests under wildlife law.
The DRI intercepted a vehicle on the Tuticorin coast following specific intelligence and seized a consignment of ambergris; five occupants were detained, four persons were arrested and remanded, and the vehicle used to transport the contraband was confiscated as part of enforcement action under the statutory prohibition on possession, export and transport of ambergris.

Memorandum of Understanding to promote mutual cooperation in accountancy, professional mobility, and capacity building between institutes.
Approval is granted for a Memorandum of Understanding between the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India and The Chartered Accountants of the Maldives to establish mutual cooperation for advancement of accounting knowledge, professional development, increased professional mobility, and capacity building. The MoU provides for exchange of information, training, ethics, technical research, seminars, student exchanges and ICAI technical due diligence to assist CA Maldives towards membership of the International Federation of Accountants.

Trade and technology cooperation to resolve tariffs, IPR, investment and regulatory barriers while advancing climate commitments and green finance.
Promotes the India EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC) as a platform to address tariff and duty concerns, intellectual property protection, investment barriers, regulatory compliance reduction, sectoral regulation needs (including waste management), and mechanisms for green financing and zero carbon technology adoption, while calling for a level playing field between developed and emerging economies and adherence to Paris Agreement commitments.

Trade balance and export composition shifted in April 2023, with services growth offsetting weaker merchandise flows.
India's April 2023 trade estimates show combined merchandise and services exports rising modestly while overall imports declined, producing a narrower trade deficit; services April figures are provisional pending Reserve Bank revision. Eleven of thirty merchandise sectors recorded export growth, including Oil Meals, Electronic Goods, Rice and Pharmaceuticals, while twenty three sectors showed import contractions, notably Project Goods, Fertilisers, Gold, Vegetable Oil and Petroleum products. Non petroleum and non gems & jewellery exports and imports both fell year on year.

Trade Promotion advances India-Canada food sector collaboration, urging quality, value addition and participation in World Food India.
Ministerial advocacy emphasizes Trade Promotion and Value Addition in the agricultural and food processing sector to expand India-Canada commercial engagement. The statement prioritizes improving product quality, scale, design and packaging to build consumer trust, encourages participation in trade fairs including World Food India, and invites Canadian firms to engage with India under G20 outreach. It highlights millets as a strategic export opportunity and frames public-private promotional mechanisms as instruments to deepen market access and expand agri-based exports.

Coordinated investment promotion and information exchange to strengthen bilateral trade and investment ties through an MoU and annual dialogues.
Agreement to pursue coordinated investment promotion and information exchange via a Memorandum of Understanding, with officials to advance cooperation in services, clean technologies, critical minerals, electric vehicles and batteries, renewable energy/hydrogen, and AI. Ministers reaffirmed that the EPTA in Free Trade Agreement negotiations would cover goods, services, investment, rules of origin, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, technical barriers to trade, and dispute settlement, while committing to G2G coordination for critical mineral supply chain resiliency through an annual dialogue and to relaunch a Canada-India CEO Forum to support B2B engagement.

Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement negotiations advanced, with an Early Progress Trade Agreement proposed to secure high level trade and investment commitments.
Negotiations were reaffirmed to pursue a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with an interim Early Progress Trade Agreement (EPTA) covering commitments on goods, services, investment, rules of origin, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, technical barriers to trade and dispute settlement, and the MDTI designated as the institutional mechanism to advance negotiations, discuss trade remedy issues, and maintain an annual work plan.

Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement spurred stronger India UAE trade ties and inaugurated a jewellery exposition to deepen commercial links.
Inauguration of the International Jewellery Exposition Centre in Dubai and related B2B activities under the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) showcased early trade gains, engaged about 100 companies and Export Promotion Councils, included an Indian Pavilion visit, and featured commemorative "CEPA - Beyond Trade" events alongside meetings with UAE sovereign wealth funds to strengthen investment linkages.

Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement strengthens bilateral trade and investment ties and promotes sectoral investment and cooperation.
The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between India and the UAE functions as a bilateral trade and investment facilitation instrument that has enhanced market access, trade flows, and investor engagement since entry into force. Official accounts attribute measurable increases in bilateral trade and exports to CEPA implementation. Implementation is accompanied by high level promotion and outreach-ministerial engagements, investment meetings, and sectoral promotion-aimed at attracting investments into renewables and the digital economy and deepening institutional cooperation between public and private stakeholders.

Ministerial Dialogue on Trade and Investment advances bilateral trade, reviews CEPA negotiations and promotes investment cooperation.
The Ministerial Dialogue on Trade and Investment serves as a bilateral mechanism to address trade and investment issues, focusing on strengthening bilateral trade, investment promotion, B2B engagements and the green transition including critical minerals. Ministers will review ongoing Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) negotiations, which may include an interim or early progress trade agreement, following multiple negotiation rounds. Parallel trade promotion activities include CEO roundtables, financial sector discussions, an Indian Pavilion at a major food innovation trade show, and a trade and investment promotion event for the agricultural and food processing sectors to facilitate exporter importer meetings.

CEPA expands tariff concessions and services commitments, enhancing bilateral trade and export opportunities between India and UAE.
Implementation of the India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement expanded preferential market access in goods and services, with the UAE eliminating duties on the majority of its tariff lines covering almost all imports from India and India granting immediate duty elimination on a large share of its tariff lines covering most export value. Utilisation of preferential Certificates of Origin rose sharply, and the tariff removals principally benefitted labour intensive and export oriented sectors such as textiles, gems and jewellery, electrical machinery, automobiles, agri commodities and cosmetics.

Automated GST return scrutiny to be introduced, with tech-driven taxpayer services and measures against fake billing.
The Finance Minister directed improvement of taxpayer services through zonal interactions and a feedback system for grievance redress, ordered introduction of automated GST return scrutiny, and required an action plan to expand the taxpayer base via technology; she also requested a root cause analysis of fake billing and Input Tax Credit misuse with technology-based prevention recommendations, and reviewed cadre restructuring, capacity building, promotions, and disciplinary processes.