The Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, on Tuesday organised a high-level stakeholder interaction in Chandigarh to apprise exporters, industry associations, Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), farmers and government officials from Punjab and Haryana about the vast export opportunities emerging from India’s rapidly expanding Free Trade Agreement (FTA) network. The event aimed to help the region convert its export potential into tangible trade gains by accessing new global markets.
The programme was attended by Additional Secretary Nitin Yadav, Chairman of Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) Abhishek Dev, Director in the Ministry of Commerce Monica Gaur, and APEDA Regional Head Harpreet Singh, among other officials. Officials highlighted that India’s total exports (goods and services combined) have grown from USD 468 billion in 2014-15 to a record USD 863 billion in 2025-26.
During the same period, services exports increased from USD 158 billion to USD 421 billion, while non-petroleum exports reached an all-time high of USD 387.9 billion. The meeting noted that India’s recent trade agreements, including the India-EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement, the proposed India-European Union Free Trade Agreement, the India-Mauritius Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement and the India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, have opened significant global market opportunities for Indian products.
India’s nine FTAs now cover 38 countries, providing access to nearly 70 per cent of global GDP. According to the Ministry, sectors such as textiles and apparel, engineering goods, electronics and pharmaceuticals are expected to benefit from near-complete duty-free market access under the new
FTAs. Punjab is well-positioned to leverage opportunities in textiles, engineering, agriculture and food processing, while Haryana is emerging as a major export hub for basmati rice, buffalo meat, non-basmati rice, natural honey, dairy products and processed food items. Officials also highlighted the export infrastructure developed across the two states.
In Punjab, packhouses and quality compliance facilities at Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport have been strengthened to support agricultural exports. In Haryana, integration of the Basmati.net and HortiNet systems has helped establish compliance mechanisms aligned with international food safety standards.
The Ministry showcased several notable export success stories from the region, including kinnow exports from Abohar to Singapore and Russia, the first shipment of ready-to-eat popcorn from Dera Bassi to South Korea, litchi exports from Pathankot to Qatar and the UAE, value-added millet products exported from Sangrur to Canada, forged rice kernels exported from Haryana to Madagascar, and the first FPO export of soya chaap from Aterna village in Sonipat to Canada.
Stakeholders were also briefed about the Government’s Export Promotion Mission (EPM), approved with an outlay of Rs 25,060 crore for six years. The mission will provide MSMEs with support in trade finance, export credit, quality compliance, branding, packaging, market access and logistics.
The Ministry urged exporters, farmers, FPOs and MSMEs from Punjab and Haryana to prepare product-specific export readiness plans, avail APEDA’s financial assistance schemes and fully utilise the opportunities offered by the new FTA framework to strengthen their presence in global markets. Officials stated that the initiative would play a significant role in achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047.