Merchandise trade data show export rebound and import recovery, resulting in a narrower but persistent trade deficit.
Preliminary May 2021 merchandise trade statistics show strong year-on-year export recovery and pronounced import recovery, with exports driven by non-petroleum and non-gems-and-jewellery categories and imports influenced by oil and select industrial inputs. Commodity-group breakdowns identify significant positive performers (cereals, iron ore, engineering goods, certain textiles, petroleum products) and continued weakness in others (gems and jewellery, leather, some textiles). The trade balance remained a deficit in May 2021, wider than May 2020 but narrower than May 2019.

Dairy export promotion: coordinated infrastructure incentives and animal health measures to improve market access for exporters.
The Ministry and APEDA prioritized export promotion through support for FPOs, cooperatives and entrepreneurs, an Investment Promotion Desk, and incentives under the Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund to build dairy processing, value addition and feed infrastructure. Parallel regulatory measures focus on animal health, traceability and a vaccination led disease control program as prerequisites for improved market access amid existing tariff and non tariff barriers faced by exporters.

Export promotion: non-basmati rice shipments expand under APEDA support, aided by export forum and supply chain measures.
Non-basmati rice exports expanded markedly with specialty consignments-patented fibre and protein "village rice" and iron rich "red rice"-shipped to multiple international markets from a growing set of Indian ports. APEDA provided assistance to exporters and has promoted export growth through stakeholder collaboration and the Rice Export Promotion Forum, coordinating industry representatives, state agriculture directors and commerce officials to enhance export facilitation, port diversification and supply chain resilience.

Vaccine procurement facilitation using regulatory easing and tech transfer to scale domestic production and allocate doses to states.
The Government's operative approach combines proactive international engagement, regulatory easing for approved foreign vaccines, and coordinated technology transfer to scale domestic manufacture; compulsory licensing is rejected in favour of active partnerships, funding and technical support to expand production, while central procurement, transparent allocation to states, and staged pediatric vaccination pending trials are presented as the administration's core implementation mechanisms.

Virtual trade fairs expand horticultural exports through secure interactive platforms and connect exporters with global buyers.
The three day virtual trade fair (May 27-29, 2021) showcased India's fruits, vegetables and floricultural products with over 471 exhibitors and 543 registered buyers; it provided workshops, product launches, live streams, webinars and secure audio video private meetings to facilitate export promotion, market access and negotiation amid COVID 19 related travel and trade restrictions.

Organic certification under national standards enables export of processed jackfruit to Germany, using accredited pack-house facilities.
Export of processed organic jackfruit products from Bengaluru to Germany used an APEDA-assisted pack-house and processing unit certified under organic production standards; the shipment comprised value-added gluten-free jackfruit powder and retort-packed jackfruit cubes processed by a producer foundation that facilitates certification for small farmer groups and operates with accreditation enabling export market access.

Geographical Indication certification enables export of Shahi Litchi to UK, prompting export facilitation and infrastructure development.
Export facilitation is advanced by an air shipment of GI-certified Shahi Litchi to the United Kingdom with phyto-sanitary certification issued from a new Patna facility, reflecting APEDA and Bihar Department of Agriculture coordination to operationalise export certification and supply-chain linkages for a short-shelf-life fresh fruit, while promoting processed products and infrastructure such as customs clearance, laboratory testing, pack-houses and pre-cooling facilities under a State agri-export plan.

Export promotion enables APEDA-assisted packhouse approval to facilitate north-eastern agricultural shipments to international markets and capacity building.
APEDA facilitated approval and use of an APEDA-assisted pack-house to export fresh jackfruit from Tripura to the European market, with sourcing from a local producer company, packing at an approved facility, and export by a private exporter. APEDA's framework emphasises market promotion, market intelligence, skill development, capacity building, high-quality packaging, and supply-chain strengthening to link farmers to buyers and enable international market access for north-eastern agricultural products.

Virtual buyer-seller meet boosts GI-certified mango export access to South Korea via APEDA-facilitated packhouse and trade agreements.
APEDA organised a Virtual Buyer Seller Meet to expand mango exports to South Korea by connecting Indian exporters with South Korean importers and diplomatic and commercial partners. The initiative leverages APEDA-registered packhouse and vapor heat treatment facilities, APEDA financial assistance, and commercial supply agreements to process Geographical Indication certified mango varieties from Andhra Pradesh for export.

Exchange rate determination fixes customs conversion rates for imports and exports effective from the specified notification date.
Under section 14 of the Customs Act, 1962, the Board determines the rate of exchange for specified foreign currencies into Indian rupees for import and export valuation, superseding the prior notification except as to past acts, with the listed scheduled rates effective from 21st May, 2021.

Geographical Indication certification enables export of Dahanu Gholvad Sapota via authorised users and APEDA-supported infrastructure.
Exports of Dahanu Gholvad Sapota were sourced from authorised GI users and processed through APEDA-assisted registered packhouse and treatment facilities, demonstrating the role of Geographical Indication certification, authorised-user designation, grading/sorting and compliance with post-harvest treatment requirements as the operational basis for export facilitation under APEDA and Department of Commerce support schemes.

Concessional import duty expansion permits job work and domestic clearance of capital goods on depreciated duty.
Amendments to the IGCR, 2017 permit imported inputs to be sent out for job work and allow importers without manufacturing facilities to import at concessional Customs duty and have final goods produced entirely on job work basis, excluding specified sectors. Capital goods imported at concessional duty may be cleared domestically on payment of duty and interest calculated on a depreciated value. Procedural changes permit electronic submission of intimations and records to jurisdictional Customs officers, with CBIC Circular No.10/2021-Customs providing implementation guidance and a list of overseeing officers.

Acquisition of shareholding leading to sole control of a port operator following merger approval of the transaction
Approval is granted for a corporate combination in which a multi-port operator will acquire an additional twenty-five percent equity interest in a port developer and operator, increasing its shareholding from seventy-five percent to full ownership and thereby obtaining sole control. The transaction converts an existing majority stake into complete ownership, concentrating control of an all-weather, deepwater multipurpose port that operates under a Build Operate Share Transfer concession.

Relaxation of approval procedures enables online import and conditional use of oxygen cylinders with mandatory pre use testing and quality checks.
Relaxation of approval and certification under the Gas Cylinders Rules, 2016 allows online approvals without pre shipment physical inspections; PESO certification is not required before shipment but is required before use, including weight verification and hydrostatic testing. Exporter certification of medical purity, Indian Mission attestation, and sample inspection by an empanelled PESO agency on arrival govern filled cylinders. Specific relaxations waive manufacturer test reports and import fees, exempt certain OEM inspections and most filling examinations, and suspend E and F licensing for PSA filling sites subject to prescribed safety and operational controls.

Trade performance: exports surged in April, signalling economic recovery with rising imports and services growth.
India's April 2021 trade data indicate a strong rebound with merchandise exports showing large year on year gains and import growth reflecting economic recovery; exports excluding POL and gems & jewellery also rose notably. Service exports for April are estimated as positive with both receipts and payments higher than April 2020, producing an estimated services surplus. Commodity wise growth is broad based across textiles, leather, engineering goods, electronic goods, petroleum products, food items and pharmaceuticals, with several categories recording sustained improvements since mid 2020.

Trade balance shows swing to a deficit as exports recover and imports rise amid commodity price effects.
Merchandise exports in April 2021 rose strongly with broad based commodity gains and non petroleum/non gems & jewellery shipments recovering; imports climbed sharply driven by both oil (influenced by higher Brent prices) and non oil categories, including non oil/non gold aggregates. Services receipts and payments showed year on year growth in March 2021 with provisional April 2021 estimates indicating continued export activity. Taken together, merchandise and services swung from an overall surplus in April 2020 to an overall deficit in April 2021, with April services figures marked as provisional pending RBI revision.

Vaccine sharing: call for liberal distribution, TRIPS waiver and technology transfer to secure equitable global access.
India urges liberal vaccine sharing and export facilitation, demands expedited consensus on a TRIPS waiver, and calls for rapid technology transfer and raw material availability to enable expanded, equitable vaccine production; this is framed alongside a commitment to balanced trade negotiations, protection of domestic sectors, and measures to sustain resilient global supply chains.

Oxygen supply chain measures boost production, logistics, tracking and procurement to enhance medical oxygen availability nationwide.
Central measures expand oxygen production through increased liquid output, commissioning of PSA plants, redirected industrial supplies, imports of liquid oxygen and procurement of concentrators; logistics improvements include tanker conversion and import, rail and air transport, driver HAZ training, and a Web/App based Oxygen Digital Tracking System with a Virtual Central Control Room; storage upgrades increase cryogenic tanks and cylinders and procurement rules have been relaxed to expedite critical supplies.

Trade facilitation: DGFT pandemic Helpdesk coordinates regulatory relaxations and interagency resolution of exporters' operational obstacles.
A DGFT Covid-19 Helpdesk collects and coordinates resolution of exporters' international trade problems-covering medical-device imports, licensing, customs clearance, documentation, banking/payment data, transport and manpower issues-and pursues regulatory clarifications, temporary relaxations and interagency solutions with Central and State agencies to address operational impediments and secure administrative responses.

IGST exemption on free imports for COVID relief requires state nodal authorization, certificate for customs clearance, and certified distribution statement.
IGST exemption applies only where specified COVID 19 relief goods are imported free of cost by a State Government or an entity, relief agency, or statutory body authorised by a State nodal authority; the authorised importer must produce the nodal authorisation and a nodal authority certified statement of goods distributed free at the time of customs clearance. A single certificate may cover multiple consignments but should specify port wise anticipated imports, and any acceptable certificate format containing prescribed information will be accepted by Customs.