Piyush Goyal Calls for Centralized Exporters Platform to Boost Global Visibility of Indian Traders

Image Source: The Tribune

Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has encouraged Indian exporters to establish a single digital portal that will make Indian traders more searchable to international buyers with an aim to further boost the export growth of the country. This was stated at a high-level meeting with all Export Promotion Councils (EPCs) and large industry bodies in New Delhi on May 27.

Goyal stressed the importance of a centralized exporters' portal as a strategic instrument to deal with long-standing issues within India's export ecosystem. Indian exporters now confront decentralized data, no single directory, and antiquated digital infrastructure, which cumulatively deter global visibility and restrict outreach, particularly for MSMEs.

"Met representatives of all Export Promotion Councils & Industry Associations and discussed prospective global opportunities for India. Also, urged them to develop a facility that makes Indian exporters readily discoverable by international buyers so as to further increase our country's exports," Goyal tweeted.

Major Points from the Announcement

Centralized Exporters Portal: The new portal would bring data together from the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), EPCs, and private trade websites, providing a complete, accessible, and verifiable list of Indian exporters to foreign buyers.
Redressing Fragmentation: The step would fill gaps in trade information, give real-time analytics, allow product demonstration, and facilitate multilingual interfaces, enhancing India's global trade presence.
Increasing MSME Access: By facilitating easy access to exporter data, the platform seeks to enable MSMEs to access niche global markets and enhance global branding for India.
Preventing Fraud: Stronger verification systems are to be implemented to build trust and prevent fraud in cross-border transactions.

Context and Trade Outlook

The clamor for a unified platform has come on the heels of India's overall exports, both merchandise and services, rising to an all-time high of USD 825 billion in 2024-25. Exports jumped by 12.7% year-on-year in April 2025 to USD 73.8 billion alone. Imports, though, accelerated even more, leaving the trade deficit at USD 8.65 billion for the month.

Goyal also touched upon availing newer world opportunities, especially in the context of new and future free trade agreements (FTAs) with the UK, US, EU, and EFTA countries. He urged exporters to fully exploit these FTAs and anticipate regulatory reforms in major markets, including the EU's Digital Product Passport and environmental requirements.

What's Next:

Industry participants welcomed the government's move, hoping that an updated, centralized portal will enable Indian exporters to compete more efficiently globally, particularly with new trade pacts going into effect and the ever-changing dynamics of global trade.

Sources: Tribune India, The Hindu Business Line, Rediff India Trade News, NDTV Profit, Economic Times, Devdiscourse