Commerce and Industry Minister Shri Piyush Goyal meets Service exporters

Exhorts them to develop competitive advantage, focus on quality, and explore new destinations and services

Calls the Services sector to reduce import dependence, and give opportunity to large and varied skilled workforce within the country

The Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Shri Piyush Goyal today held a meeting, through video-conferencing, with office bearers of the Services Export Promotion Council (SEPC), and stakeholders representing various Services sector.  The stakeholders made several suggestions and demands during the meeting, in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic, subsequent lockdown, and the ongoing Unlocking. Services sector is important for Indian external trade- the RBI data shows that in April, 2020, the Services exports were ₹ 1,25,409 Crore and imports were ₹ 70,907 Crore.

Responding to various suggestions, Shri Piyush Goyal said that the services sector has large potential, but the same has not been harnessed fully. He said that the segment, which has been most successful  in the Services, is the IT and allied services, and it flourished due to its own capabilities, and without seeking much of the Government’s support, which many a times comes with the bureaucratic strings and control as well. He called upon the industry to develop competitive advantage, focus on quality, and explore new destinations and services. The Minister said that the Government also has priorities and limitations- it can make focused and policy interventions, help the sector/industry in its nascent stages/startup level, help them grow, check the unfair practices, but can’t be seen providing support all the time. He called upon the participants to give constructive and forward-looking suggestions. He said that Indian missions abroad have started pitching in effectively to explore Indian exports there.

The Minister exhorted the Services sector to see Covid crisis as an opportunity, and not as a challenge. He said the world is going to be different post-Covid, as new norms are setting in, in terms of work, education, entertainment, health etc. On certain suggestions, the minister said that the sectors themselves should first build consensus on them, by talking to all stakeholders. He said that there is no reason why the Services sector has so much import, when we have a large and varied skilled workforce. He called upon the sector to take the help of Indians in various services, and in fact help in upgrading their skills by exposure and capacity-building.

 

Service sector competitiveness urged: reduce import dependence, focus on quality, and pursue new markets and skill development. The Minister urged reduction of import dependence by using and upskilling domestic labour, and called on industry to build competitive advantage, focus on quality, and explore new markets and services. He said the Government will make targeted policy interventions, support startups and check unfair practices, while noting its limits on providing ongoing support and urging sectoral consensus on proposals.