Government has undertaken several initiatives to diversify export markets in light of evolving global geopolitical and economic developments. These include expanding network of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and Comprehensive Economic Partnership/Cooperation Agreements (CEPAs/CECAs); pursuing trade negotiations with major economies and regions to secure preferential market access for exporters; undertaking focused export promotion activities through Export Promotion Mission, Indian Missions overseas, Export Promotion Councils (EPCs), industry associations and other stakeholders; implementing district and sector-specific export promotion initiatives under the Districts as Export Hubs (DEH) initiative; and capacity-building programmes.

A list of trade agreements signed in the past few years is at Annexure I. Further, a list of ongoing FTAs is at Annexure II.

Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) are entered into with the concerned trading partner countries primarily with the aim of increasing bilateral trade through enlarging the scope of market access and building on the trade complementarities for increasing trade and investment, thereby providing enhanced export potential, creating benefits for industry and farmers and enhancing job opportunities. The FTAs facilitate preferential market access for labour intensive sector products to boost growth and employment opportunities in sectors like textile, apparel and leather goods. FTAs endeavor to deliver a comprehensive, balanced, broad based and equitable agreement based on the principle of fairness and reciprocity and overall benefit to all the stakeholders.

The FTAs include provisions on Technical Barriers to Trade to promote mutual understanding of each sides’ standards, technical regulations, and measures to enhance transparency. These provisions facilitate smoother and more effective access to export markets for Indian goods. Government engages with its trading partners through bilateral, regional and multilateral mechanisms to address non-tariff barriers (NTBs) and improve market access for Indian exports. These includes holding regular meetings and direct talks with partners through Joint Committees and Working Groups established under trade agreements to solve specific export problems to align with emerging global requirements, consultations with partner countries to resolve market access issues, technical discussions on sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures, technical barriers to trade (TBT), standards, conformity assessment procedures and regulatory requirements and continuous engagement with stakeholders to identify and address market access concerns in key export destinations, including the European Union, Africa and Southeast Asia.

Government has undertaken various policy and facilitation measures to promote cross-border e-commerce exports, particularly for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), startups, artisans and other small exporters. Key initiatives include:

1. 1. Export Promotion Mission (EPM): The Export Promotion Mission (EPM) was launched in 2025 to strengthen India’s export competitiveness with a total outlay of

₹25,060 crore for the period FY 2025–26 to FY 2030–31. The EPM shall operate through two integrated sub-schemes:

• • • NIRYAT PROTHSAHAN, focused on improving access to trade finance through instruments such as interest subvention, export factoring, collateral guarantees for export credit, credit guarantee for e-commerce exporters, and credit enhancement support; and
    • NIRYAT DISHA, focused on other trade enablers such as export quality and compliance support, international branding and packaging, market access initiatives, export logistics & warehousing, and trade intelligence.

1. 2. Implementation of the E-Commerce Export Hub (ECEH) initiative on a pilot basis to create an integrated ecosystem for e-commerce exports by facilitating logistics, customs clearances and other export-related services.