CHANDIGARH – The CII Northern Region hosted a high-profile Conference in Chandigarh today, uniting industry leaders, policymakers, and experts to dissect the pivotal role of standards in catapulting India's exports onto the global stage.
In his keynote address, Shri Som Prakash, Minister of State of Commerce & Industry, Government of India*, celebrated India's economic growth at an impressive 7%, anticipating its transformation into a premium economy in the near future.
Highlighting the global recognition of the Indian rupee with transactions in 22 countries, he underscored India's commitment to self-reliance through Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Schemes for 14 key sectors.
The Minister also heralded India's Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) efforts, citing a reduction of 39,000 compliances and the decriminalization of 183 provisions across 42 Central Acts.
He emphasized the importance of initiatives like PM Gatishakti and the National Logistics Policy, aimed at slashing logistics costs from 40% to 10%, with plans for implementation in over 24 sectors.
Mr Patrick Hébert, Consul General – Chandigarh, Consulate General of Canada, Government of Canada*, heralded India and Canada's burgeoning trade relationship.
Two-way bilateral trade, valued at nearly $23 billion, has rebounded impressively from the COVID-19 pandemic, propelling both nations into each other's top nine trading partners.
Negotiations for an Early Progress Trade Agreement between India and Canada are underway, facilitated by Canada’s Trade Commissioner Service (TCS) and Trade Promotion Service (TPS).
Ms Vrindaba Gohil, Commissioner of Customs (Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, and Union Territory of Chandigarh)*, urged businesses to leverage the Manufacturing and Other Operations in a Customs Bonded Warehouse (MOOWR) scheme.
She also highlighted the evolving benefits of the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) scheme, streamlining customs procedures.
Shri Utpal Kumar Acharya, Joint DGFT - Chandigarh, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Leh Ladakh*, shared insights into India's ongoing Free Trade Agreement (FTA) discussions with Canada and the issuance of fee-free Certificates of Origin by DGFT.
He introduced the Amnesty Scheme, designed to support exporters.
In a bid to facilitate exports, Shri Acharya announced that Post Offices would serve as export centers for transactions up to INR 5 lakhs, with plans for expansion.
During the welcome address, *Mr Amit Thapar, Chairman, CII Northern Region Task Force on Exports and President, Ganga Acrowools Limited*, emphasized the manufacturing sector's need to produce world-class products at competitive prices.
He highlighted the Northern Region's potential in agro-based products and the growth prospects for MSMEs.
Mr Anurag Gupta, Vice Chairman, CII Chandigarh UT and Managing Director, Usha Yarns Limited*, concluded the event by emphasizing the continued advantages of WTO-compatible schemes for exporters.
The conference concluded with a Panel Discussion on 'Non-Tariff Barriers: Going beyond just Technical Standards,' exploring the impact of varying quality standards, national quality infrastructure improvement, sustainability in Non-Tariff Measures, and the challenges posed by comprehensive FTAs.
