Minister of Commerce and Industry, Suresh Prabhu delivering keynote address at 6^th Growth Net Summit in New Delhi

Services trade is growing faster than merchandise and such dynamic changes need to be captured in the global trading system, stated Suresh Prabhu, Minister of Commerce and Industry and Civil Aviation. He was speaking at the 6th Growth Net Summit, being held in New Delhi on 18-19 June 2018, organized by AnantaCenter and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) with Smadja&Smadja.

Services trade requires movement of people, unlike merchandise trade, said the Minister. He stated that India is aiming at a $5 trillion economy by year 2026-27 and goods and services exports are targeted at $1 trillion of this. Over the last year, goods and services exports grew by over 12%, he noted.

The government is working on a comprehensive strategy to boost services exports and $1 billion will be spent to promote 12 champion services sectors. For the first time, a strategy of products in new markets is being developed. Exports are also being promoted in regions like Africa, Latin America and Central Asia, added the Minister.

Noting that the World Trade Organisation was created as part of a rules-based, multilateral, democratic and participatory institution for expanding global trade, he said that countries have recognized the value of global trade for fosteringgrowth and creating jobs. India is working with other countries to ensure that WTO remains relevant, he said.

Services trade inclusion urged to modernize global trade rules and support national export promotion strategies. Global trading framework should explicitly include services trade, which grows faster than merchandise and involves movement of people; support is expressed for a rules-based, multilateral WTO. Domestic measures include a comprehensive strategy to boost services exports, targeted promotion of 12 champion services sectors with dedicated funding, product-in-new-market strategies, and diversification of export destinations such as Africa, Latin America and Central Asia.