Export promotion boosts organic moringa exports, shipments and farmer incomes via APEDA-supported processing and certification.
APEDA supported an APEDA-registered exporter, M/s Medikonda Nutrients, which operates a 240-hectare organically certified Moringa plantation (including contract farming) and set up a processing unit in Gongloor Village, Sangareddy district; the company dispatched an organic Moringa leaf powder consignment to the United States and plans scaled exports, with APEDA facilitation focused on certification, infrastructure and logistics to expand exports and benefit farmers.

Production-linked Incentive Scheme expands manufacturing incentives and establishes institutional mechanisms to accelerate investment and ease regulatory clearances.
The Department advanced regulatory simplification and investment facilitation through Ease of Doing Business reforms and State and District Reform Action Plans; launched the Production Linked Incentive Scheme alongside institutional mechanisms-Empowered Group of Secretaries, Project Development Cells and an Investment Clearance Cell-to fast track projects; developed an Industrial Information System and Industrial Park Rating System; reformed IPR procedures and startup support; amended FDI and public procurement rules; issued Quality Control Orders; modernised PESO operations; and implemented targeted COVID 19 interventions to sustain essential supplies.

Export prohibition removal: onions may now be exported under an amended export policy restoring regulated exportability.
The central government has lifted the prohibition on the export of all varieties of onions by amending the export policy, deleting the export ban and restoring exportability under the conditions set out in the revised export policy.

Export promotion through virtual buyer-seller meetings expands market access for agricultural and processed foods to South East Asian markets.
APEDA organized a Virtual Buyer Seller Meeting with Thailand to expand exports of Indian agricultural and processed food products, bringing together government and industry stakeholders to discuss exportable items (grapes, pomegranate, vegetables, dairy, ready to eat) and Thailand's import standards. The BSM, part of APEDA's series of virtual events during COVID 19, was followed by a 'Taste of India' promotional campaign in Bangkok featuring product displays and wet sampling to facilitate market access and buyer seller linkages.

Barrier-free trade commitment seeks duty-free agricultural access and cooperation to address non-tariff impediments.
Assurance of cooperation to achieve barrier-free trade between India and Bangladesh includes duty-free market access for certain agricultural products and a commitment to address non tariff impediments. India offers targeted agricultural support-irrigation, credit, transport, quality inputs, machinery, food processing and cottage industry development-to modernise agriculture, raise farmer incomes and deepen bilateral economic integration through connectivity and sectoral partnerships.

National Startup Awards promote sectoral startup innovation with prizes and pilot opportunities; applications open until late January.
DPIIT's National Startup Awards 2021 invites applications for recognition across 49 areas in 15 sectors, with six special awards and awards for incubators and accelerators. Winners and two runners-up receive monetary prizes and opportunities to present to public authorities and corporates for potential pilot projects and work orders, plus priority access to national and international startup events; applications are submitted via the official startup portal before the stated closing date.

Monetary policy stance maintained to support durable growth and mitigate COVID 19 impact while monitoring elevated inflation risks.
The MPC, constituted under Section 45ZB and publishing minutes under Section 45ZL, resolved to keep the policy repo rate unchanged and to continue an accommodative stance at least through the current and next financial year to revive durable growth and mitigate COVID 19 impacts while ensuring CPI inflation remains within the medium term target. The decision reflects an assessment of an uneven recovery, large systemic liquidity surplus, improving credit flows, rising foreign exchange reserves, and elevated inflation driven chiefly by supply disruptions, with unanimous votes recorded for the resolution.

Free Trade Agreement early-harvest proposal could fast-track trade, services and investment ties between partners and mobility of people.
An early harvest agreement, situated within a broader Free Trade Agreement, is proposed to secure immediate gains in trade in goods, services and investment while comprehensive FTA negotiations proceed; this approach focuses on converting priority sector engagement into rapid market access and facilitative regulatory measures, supported by domestic reforms such as production-linked incentives and predictable policy frameworks to attract and operationalise investment and sectoral cooperation.

Aatmanirbhar Bharat as outward-facing economic strategy: self-reliance with calibrated export controls and investment liberalisation.
India framed Aatmanirbhar Bharat as self-reliance coupled with international engagement, describing temporary export restrictions on medicines during the initial Covid-19 phase to prevent monopolization and preserve access for less-developed countries, alongside grant-based pharmaceutical assistance to many countries. Simultaneously, the government announced deregulatory and liberalisation measures-opening defence, manufacturing, mining, finance and capital markets and liberalising agricultural laws-to attract foreign investment, expand procurement opportunities and simplify doing business to turn the pandemic into partnership and growth opportunities.

Aircraft leasing regulation proposed to enable IFSC-based lessors under financial product classification; draft rules open for consultation.
IFSCA proposes a regulatory framework enabling aircraft leasing in the IFSC at GIFT City after classification of aircraft leases (operating, financial and hybrid) as a financial product; draft rules set eligibility, operational and governance parameters for leasing entities and are open for stakeholder and public consultation prior to finalisation.

Direct credit to farmers' accounts for cane-price dues to restore cash flow and support sugar sector exports and marketing costs.
The Cabinet approved a scheme permitting direct credit to farmers' bank accounts on behalf of sugar mills to settle cane price dues, with any subsequent balance credited to mills, funded by government expenditure to facilitate evacuation of surplus sugar stock and to cover marketing, handling, processing and transport costs associated with exports within the Maximum Admissible Export Quota for the 2020-21 season.

Trade balance shifts: overall trade moved to an estimated surplus as imports fell faster than exports in 2020-21.
India's April-November 2020-21 external trade contracted, with merchandise exports and imports falling year on year and marked commodity specific variances: some commodities recorded positive growth while major groups including petroleum products and engineering goods declined. Oil imports fell sharply reflecting lower global prices; non oil and non gold imports also declined. RBI services data for October 2020 show lower receipts and payments and November services numbers are provisional. Combining merchandise and services yields an estimated overall trade surplus for April-November 2020-21, with November services figures subject to revision.

Trade and investment cooperation urged to remove non tariff barriers and boost reciprocal market access and technology partnership.
India seeks deeper trade and investment cooperation with Sweden through reciprocal market access, reduction of non tariff barriers and regulatory facilitation to attract foreign direct investment. The initiative links Swedish participation to India's Aatmanirbhar Bharat agenda by promoting technology transfer, manufacturing partnerships, workforce skill development, and removal of investment barriers to expand bilateral commercial engagement.

Liquidity support for targeted sectors expanded, enabling banks to deploy funds into specified corporate instruments and loans.
The Statement expands on tap TLTRO eligibility to additional stressed sectors and encourages banks to combine TLTRO funds with ECLGS 2.0 guarantees to deploy liquidity into corporate bonds, commercial paper, NCDs and loans to specified sectors; such investments may be included in the Held to Maturity portfolio above existing limits and are exempt from the Large Exposure Framework. It also restricts dividend pay outs by banks, proposes a dividend matrix for NBFCs, advances a scale based regulatory review for NBFCs, mandates Risk Based Internal Audit for large UCBs and NBFCs, and introduces digital payment security directions and trade facilitation delegations to authorised dealer banks.

Trade Based Money Laundering: international panel convened to boost detection, data sharing and cross border customs cooperation.
A virtual panel on Trade Based Money Laundering was held during the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence's 63rd Founding Day to advance international cooperation, information exchange and operational best practices; the Directorate emphasises use of Risk Assessment Techniques and data analytics, maintains Customs Mutual Assistance Agreements with over sixty countries, and reported numerous seizures, complex duty evasion investigations and arrests underscoring intelligence led interdiction against organised smuggling and trade based laundering.

Millet export promotion: coordinated action plan to boost exports through cluster identification and stakeholder consolidation.
APEDA is preparing a five year action plan with the Indian Institute of Millet Research and partner institutions to increase exports of millets and millet products by coordinating stakeholders for time bound implementation, identifying millet clusters, consolidating farmers, FPOs, exporters and associations on dedicated platforms, and targeting new international markets for nutri cereals including sorghum, pearl millet, ragi and other small millets.

Agricultural export collaboration promotes capacity building and export facilitation through joint programs, cluster development, and FPO support.
A Memorandum of Understanding between APEDA and NABARD creates a cooperation framework to implement the Agriculture Export Policy by jointly delivering capacity development, outreach, technical assistance, cluster identification and scaling, upscaling post-harvest infrastructure for APEDA products, extending scheme benefits to FPOs and cooperatives, and facilitating exports by FPOs supported by NABARD.

Foreign Trade Policy reform to boost manufacturing and exports through single-window facilitation and trade facilitation measures.
The Board of Trade meeting focused on implementing the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) (2021-26) through coordinated Centre-State action to boost domestic manufacturing and exports by enhancing competitiveness via quality, cost efficiency, economies of scale and labour advantages; operational measures emphasised include single-window facilitation, ease of doing business reforms, investment promotion, the Production Linked Incentive scheme, trade facilitation by customs, new logistics policy and upgrading land border infrastructure.

Trade balance improved as imports fell more sharply than exports, narrowing the merchandise deficit in November.
India's merchandise exports and imports both declined in November 2020 versus November 2019, with exports down 9.07% and imports down 13.33%, producing a narrower monthly trade deficit. Non-petroleum and non-gems-and-jewellery exports and non-oil non-gems-and-jewellery imports registered modest negative growth. Oil imports fell sharply and contributed significantly to import contraction. Commodity movements were mixed: cereals, oil meals and iron ore rose strongly, while petroleum products, leather manufactures and several manufactured and capital goods declined; the release provides headline aggregates and top commodity increases and decreases.

Foreign Trade Policy review to guide measures boosting domestic manufacturing and exports through stakeholder consultation and trade facilitation.
The Board of Trade will meet to provide consultative guidance on the Foreign Trade Policy and to coordinate measures to promote domestic manufacturing and exports. The Board's role is to bring together central and state representatives, industry associations and export councils to review export/import performance and to consider investment-promotion strategies, trade remedies, a New Logistics Policy, customs trade facilitation, reforms since the prior meeting, GeM expansion, and stakeholder suggestions for the new trade policy.