Government to Launch E-Connect Portal for Small Exporters

The commerce ministry plans to launch the e-connect platform to support small exporters with trade-related information. Director General of Foreign Trade Santosh Kumar Sarangi highlighted the focus on digitisation. FIEO president Ashwani Kumar discussed optimistic export projections, while FIEO's Yogesh Gupta addressed challenges in the Red Sea region affecting exports.

The commerce ministry is set to unveil a new e-connect platform aimed at providing small exporters with essential information on duties and other trade-related issues, an official announced on Friday. The platform is expected to create a one-stop solution for trade, tariff, SPS, TBT, and marketing intelligence needs.

Speaking at a Kolkata event organized by the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO), the Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) Santosh Kumar Sarangi emphasized the ministry's focus on digitizing and simplifying business processes to enhance ease of doing business.

'The government will soon launch the e-connect portal to consolidate all necessary information for exporters,' Sarangi said, adding that the DGFT has collaborated with marketing platforms and logistics companies to aid exporters, particularly in secondary and tertiary cities.

FIEO president Ashwani Kumar highlighted a positive outlook for this year's exports, targeting an overall export volume surpassing USD 900 billion. Meanwhile, Yogesh Gupta, FIEO's Regional Chairman, addressed the challenges posed by the Red Sea crisis, urging the government to develop strategies to mitigate rising freight rates that are diminishing competitive advantage.

Gupta also called attention to various infrastructure and operational issues affecting timely goods release on the Bangladesh side, which impact the eastern region's exports to Bangladesh.

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