Piyush Goyal plans 1,000-strong regional language network to handhold exporters

New Delhi: Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Tuesday said that about 1,000 people will be trained in regional languages about trade to support existing and prospective exporters at the district and state levels.

Addressing an industry stakeholders meeting on ease of doing business and free trade agreement (FTA) opportunities, he also said that instead of establishing separate offices of every department in every location, integrated commerce and industry offices are envisaged in major cities to provide businesses with a common point of access to multiple departments and agencies.

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The minister also announced a proposed network of approximately 1,000 trained local personnel, with knowledge of regional languages, to support exporters and prospective exporters at the district and state levels, the commerce ministry said in a statement.

"These personnel would be trained and subsequently deployed to provide handholding support to businesses, including through industry chambers and regional associations," it said.

The statement also said that a dedicated session was held on recent FTAs and trade facilitation reforms, which provided industry with an overview of opportunities and obligations arising from India's trade agreements.

Industry representatives highlighted the need for greater interoperability between government systems and foreign trade platforms, including digital transmission and verification of Certificates of Origin under FTAs.

"The proposal to extend such electronic processes to other FTA partners was noted for examination. Industry also highlighted the need for further integration of the export cycle involving the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Customs, banks and other stakeholders," it said.

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The interaction also covered logistics and trade-process bottlenecks, including documentation backlogs and concerns relating to sea-freight costs.

Commenting on the trade pacts, Suryansh Jalan, CBO, FarEye, said India's free trade agreements can open markets, but export growth depends on whether an Indian manufacturer can promise a competitive delivered price, a reliable delivery date and a simple returns process.

"The commerce ministry's next policy push should help MSMEs build that capability. Many businesses can manufacture for the world; serving overseas consumers requires access to an integrated fulfilment network," he said.

He added that building on the National Logistics Policy, PM GatiShakti and ULIP, the priority should be to connect shipment consolidation in India, simpler customs processes, shared overseas warehousing and dependable last-mile delivery.

"Digital platforms can help exporters understand FTA eligibility and rules of origin, estimate landed costs, validate documentation and track orders across partners. AI can support better routing, inventory placement and early responses to disruption," Jalan said.

He also said that shared infrastructure can give smaller exporters access to logistics capabilities typically available to larger enterprises.

"Success should be measured in lower costs, predictable deliveries and repeat overseas orders. That is how preferential market access becomes lasting demand for Indian products," he said.