Commerce ministry, ITPO launch FTA awareness drive to boost MSME exports

Fresh updates from the financial markets indicate that The department of commerce and India Trade Promotion Organisation are conducting a nationwide free trade agreement (FTA) awareness and capacity-building programme to help businesses, especially the MSMEs, to take advantage of the pacts, ITPO chairman Jawed Ashraf stated on September 24.

“We are developing a district-wise opportunity map with the department of commerce. ITPO is setting up a really large trade development promotion wing manned by professionals who understand these things and our effort is essentially to help the MSMEs. We'll be doing the trade missions abroad too," Ashraf stated.

ITPO, an agency under the commerce and industry ministry, is responsible for promoting the country's external and domestic trade. Through structured buyer-seller programmes, international trade missions, and MSME globalisation backing — all backed by the government — ITPO transforms India's trade potential into tangible global partnerships and measurable export outcomes.

“ITPO is going to set up trade offices in Europe as a starting point, besides the rest of the world to essentially handhold the MSMEs and help them enter this market and take advantage of the FTAs,” Ashraf stated at the 13th PAFI Annual Forum.

On the India-EU FTA, Ashraf stated in amid uncertainties, it’s important for both sides to work together.

India and the EU concluded FTA negotiations on January 27. The agreement is moving through the EU's legal and approval process and is anticipated to be signed by the end of the year. Under the agreement, around 99 percent of India’s export will attract zero duty in the EU.

A government official earlier told Moneycontrol that India aims to double its exports to the European Union over the next three to four years through the FTA. In FY26, India's exports to the EU stood at $72.4 billion.

“We’ve always recognised that FTA (with EU) will be something which will catalyze a far deeper strategic partnership, and it has come at a time when you see the geopolitical changes are affecting India and Europe the most,” Ashraf stated.

“There are vulnerabilities in energy security, defence imports… we’re falling behind the US and China on technology and innovation. We are additionally falling behind on competitiveness. We should recognise that it's important for both of us to work together.”