Commerce Ministry organizes Brainstorming session on Services Exports

Leveraging ongoing FTA negotiations to seek better market access, branding of services sectors and promotions of services sector through road shows mooted for growth

A one-day Brainstorming session on Services Exports was organized by Department of Commerce in Vanijya Bhawan, New Delhi under the Chairmanship of Shri B.V.R. Subrahmanyam, IAS, Commerce Secretary. During the session, discussions were held on challenges, opportunities and way forward for boosting services exports from India.

The session was organized by Department of Commerce in partnership with Services Export Promotion Council (SEPC) and was attended by about 100 participants representing  various service sectors including Information Technology & Information Technology Enabled Services, Communication Services, Entertainment, Audio Visual Services, Tourism & Hospitality, Medical Value Travel, Education Services, Accounting and Finance Services, Financial Services, Legal Services, Transport & Logistics Services, Construction and Related Engineering Services and Environment Services.

During the inaugural session, Additional Secretary, Department of Commerce, addressed the participants. Thereafter, four parallel breakout sessions on sectoral basis were organized to deliberate upon service sectors related issues. These groups included; Group 1: Information Technology & Information Enabled Services, Communication Services & Entertainment (including Audio Visual Services), Group 2: Tourism & Hospitality Services, Medical Value Travel & Education Services, Group 3: Accounting and Finance Services, Financial Services & Legal Services, Group 4: Transport & Logistics Services, Construction & Related Engineering Services & Environment Services.

Suggestions and recommendations of the breakout sessions were compiled and presented in concluding session. Some of the key suggestions and recommendations that were highlighted included leveraging the ongoing FTA negotiations to seek better market access, branding of services sectors, promotions of services sector through road shows, setting standards, having a robust mechanism for reporting of data related to services, skilling of manpower, addressing regulatory bottlenecks etc. Incentive schemes for specific sectors, in order to boost exports, were also requested by industry.

Shri B.V.R. Subrahmanyam, Commerce Secretary in his address underlined the importance of services sector as a key driver of country’s economic growth. He assured the participants that necessary Government support would be extended to realise the full potential of service sectors and to remove any constraints in this regard.

Services exports: leverage FTA negotiations to secure market access and enact promotion and domestic reform measures. A national consultation recommended leveraging FTA negotiations to improve market access for services exports, coupled with sector branding, road show promotions and targeted incentive schemes; it also urged domestic reforms including sectoral standards, robust services data reporting, workforce skilling and removal of regulatory bottlenecks, with government support to implement a coordinated public private agenda.