Trade facilitation at land customs stations enhances border efficiency through coordination, technology and infrastructure upgrades.
The conference advanced practical measures to enhance trade facilitation and operational efficiency at Land Customs Stations and Integrated Check Posts through inter ministerial coordination, technological upgrades (including Electronic Cargo Tracking Systems and National Single Window reforms), strengthened risk management and anti smuggling practices, infrastructure and logistics improvements, and capacity building, accompanied by a published booklet outlining these initiatives and recent notifications of routes, rail/river links, customs yards and Border Haats to bolster regional connectivity.

Pharma export competitiveness: India urged to boost innovation, quality and global market ties at IPHEX expo.
The Union Minister urged the Indian pharmaceutical industry to expand exports and solidify its role as a global supplier by focusing on innovation, quality, stronger supply chain linkages, and compliance with good manufacturing practices. He highlighted government Production Linked Incentive schemes for APIs and medical devices and presented the IPHEX expo as a platform for Indian and international firms to connect, pursue business opportunities, and assess project progress.

Soft implementation of GST law encouraged, promoting trade-tax dialogue and swift redressal of GST grievances.
The inauguration of the CGST Udaipur complex underscores infrastructure upgrades for GST administration, improved taxpayer facilities, and green building compliance. The release advocates regular trade-tax officer dialogue, sector wise outreach to identify reform needs, and soft implementation of GST law with stringent measures as a last resort. It also announces ICETAB 2.0, a handheld device for real time customs examination reporting to facilitate quicker cargo clearance, and reiterates governmental commitment to enhancing GST zone infrastructure.

Monetary policy rate remains unchanged as MPC maintains withdrawal of accommodation to align inflation with target while supporting growth.
The MPC resolved to keep the policy repo rate unchanged and to continue with withdrawal of accommodation to ensure headline CPI inflation progressively aligns with the 4% target while supporting growth. The committee assessed resilient domestic activity supported by favorable monsoon and investment momentum, noted elevated food-price pressures causing a temporary uptick in headline inflation and potential spillovers to core inflation, and presented GDP and inflation projections with evenly balanced risks. The minutes record a split vote with two members favoring a rate cut and a neutral stance.

Access to affordable finance for MSMEs is critical; digital credit, receivables financing, capacity building and tailored restructuring are required.
The address identifies key constraints on MSME growth-limited access to affordable finance from collateral-focused lending and information gaps, delayed payments, cluster infrastructure deficits, and compliance burdens-and prescribes financial-sector responses: accelerate digital credit delivery and data-driven underwriting, expand use and corporate onboarding of trade-receivables financing platforms, promote FX and export risk solutions, establish MSE-focused branches in clusters, and provide capacity building alongside flexible restructuring and tailored repayment arrangements to support scaling and export competitiveness.

Integrated multimodal planning under PM GatiShakti aligns transport projects to improve connectivity and optimise freight and passenger movement.
Evaluation of six transport infrastructure projects for alignment with PM GatiShakti principles, including a greenfield Hazira-Gothangam rail line to shift freight to rail, a Bilasipara-Guwahati road upgrade to enhance regional linkages, a Nashik Multi Modal Logistics Park to integrate road and rail logistics, civil enclave expansions at Bihta and Bagdogra to relieve airport capacity constraints, and a Greenfield transshipment port at Galathea Bay to bolster maritime transshipment and regional competitiveness.

Duty free tariff access encouraged to deepen India-Africa trade, paired with credit, digital infrastructure, and sectoral cooperation.
The statement advances a coordinated policy package to expand India-Africa economic ties by promoting greater use of the Duty Free Tariff Preference Scheme, mobilising Lines of Credit to support investment, and pursuing sectoral cooperation in sustainable mining, agriculture, manufacturing, and services. It promotes regulatory and standards coordination for value addition, deployment of India's Digital Public Infrastructure to drive digitalisation and financial inclusion, and enhanced MSME and startup linkages, alongside diplomatic efforts to integrate African priorities into global governance fora.

GI-tagged product export enabled, facilitating first commercial shipment of ready-to-drink fig juice through export promotion support.
APEDA undertook Export Facilitation for the first commercial shipment of ready-to-drink fig juice derived from Geographical Indication-tagged Purandar Figs to Poland, coordinating stakeholders and logistics to enable market access. The authority's role included promotion at international trade fairs, liaison with buyers, and support to the producer company and smallholder farmers to meet export readiness and regulatory requirements.

Trade growth: Exports estimated to rise while imports increase faster, widening India's trade deficit in mid 2024.
Estimates for July 2024 and April-July 2024 show combined exports growing while imports rose faster, widening the trade deficit. July combined exports are estimated to have grown 2.81% and imports 7.14%; April-July exports are estimated up 6.65% and imports up 7.30%. Non petroleum and non gems & jewellery exports grew, with key drivers including electronic goods, engineering goods, drugs & pharmaceuticals, meat/dairy/poultry and textiles. Services exports strengthened, producing a larger services surplus for April-July 2024. Services data for July are provisional pending RBI revision.

NIRF ranking improvement signals IIFT's strengthened role in international trade education and expanded capacity building initiatives.
IIFT's improved NIRF placement reflects strengthened performance across teaching, research, graduation outcomes, outreach and perception, supported by the Ministry of Commerce and Department of Commerce. The institute's core programmes in international trade and business underpin initiatives for capacity building and applied research, including a Centre for International Negotiations, a Foreign Trade Case Study Centre, sponsored doctoral research with export promotion bodies, and exploration of an offshore campus to deepen industry collaboration and internationalisation.

Cabinet approval of new railway line projects expands connectivity and freight capacity under the national multimodal infrastructure plan.
Cabinet approval authorises eight new railway line projects under the national multi modal planning initiative to expand the rail network by approximately nine hundred kilometres, construct new stations, generate direct construction employment, improve service reliability and supply chain efficiency, and achieve reduced logistics costs, lower oil imports and quantified CO2 emission reductions by completion around 2030-31.

Policy repo rate decision unchanged; MPC reiterates disinflationary stance to align inflation to target while supporting growth.
The Monetary Policy Committee decided to keep the policy repo rate unchanged and maintain associated facility rates, while continuing a disinflationary stance of withdrawal of accommodation to align headline CPI inflation with the 4 percent medium term target and supporting growth; the MPC set out its macroeconomic assessment, projection of growth and inflation, noted evenly balanced risks and a split vote on policy and stance.

Free Trade Agreement negotiations urged to prioritise trade facilitation, customs modernisation and regional supply chain integration.
Call for accelerated negotiation of a Free Trade Agreement among BIMSTEC members, urging reassessment of delays and consideration of a preferential trade agreement as an initial step. Proposed operational measures include removal of tariff and non tariff barriers, customs modernisation and computerisation of border controls, faster online import export clearances, strengthened trade facilitation, seamless transport connectivity, and focus on e commerce, digital public infrastructure, supply chain integration, agricultural cooperation for food security, and development of the blue economy.

Trade facilitation platform connecting exporters with missions and export bodies to centralize FTA benefits and trade data.
The Government will create the Trade Connect ePlatform to connect Indian exporters, MSMEs and entrepreneurs with Indian missions abroad, export promotion councils and partner agencies, centralize trade event information and FTA benefits, and incorporate the Common Digital Platform for Certificate of Origin to enhance FTA utilization and trade facilitation.

International trade and investment law: strengthening inclusion of developing countries through multilateral engagement and capacity building.
CTIL, established in 2016 at IIFT by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, provides rigorous legal analysis in international trade and investment law-focusing on WTO law, bilateral trade agreements and dispute settlement-and delivers technical advisory inputs to government departments while aiming to build a dedicated pool of legal experts to support India's participation in negotiations, dispute settlement and capacity building for FTA negotiations.

Review of AITIGA advances through multisectoral subcommittee negotiations, guiding further work and scheduling next plenary.
The 5th AITIGA Joint Committee meeting in Jakarta advanced the formal review of AITIGA through substantive negotiations across eight specialised sub-committees-covering National Treatment and Market Access, Rules of Origin, Standards and Conformity Assessment, Sanitary and Phytosanitary measures, Legal and Institutional issues, Customs Procedures and Trade Facilitation, Trade Remedies, and Economic and Technical Cooperation-reported to the Joint Committee, which provided guidance for future work; bilateral consultations and industry engagement accompanied the negotiations, and the next Joint Committee meeting is scheduled in India for November 2024.

Import duty reductions for seafood inputs boost export competitiveness and are coupled with enhanced export support measures.
Fiscal and regulatory measures aim to enhance seafood export competitiveness by reducing import duties on key aquafeed and value addition inputs, increasing RoDTEP export incentive rates and caps, and providing institutional support through MPEDA and the PMMSY programme to upgrade infrastructure, testing, aquaculture assistance, and cold chain and post harvest transport facilities.