India’s Commerce Department is expanding outreach initiatives to improve the utilisation of free trade agreements (FTAs) and help exporters, particularly micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), access international markets more effectively.

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said the government is organising state-level workshops under the ‘Leveraging FTAs – Outreach Programme’ to familiarise businesses with trade opportunities and preferential market access. Workshops are being conducted in collaboration with state government agencies, with sessions planned in Gandhinagar and Mumbai.

Over the past five years, India has implemented FTAs with the UAE, Mauritius, Australia, Oman, the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) bloc, the United Kingdom and New Zealand. These agreements offer tariff concessions that can make Indian products more competitive in overseas markets.

However, the utilisation of these agreements remains low. Many exporters continue to pay standard import duties because they find rules of origin, documentation and compliance procedures difficult to navigate. The government aims to address these challenges by helping businesses understand the requirements for claiming preferential tariff benefits.

The outreach programme is being coordinated by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) in partnership with state industries departments. Following a workshop in Jaipur, further initiatives are planned across the country to help exporters identify market opportunities and increase exports.

The initiative comes amid concerns over India’s widening trade deficit with several FTA partner countries. By improving awareness and utilisation of existing trade agreements, the government aims to strengthen export performance and ensure that more businesses, including MSMEs, benefit from global trade opportunities.