The Ministry of Commerce is eyeing 20 key nations to boost exports of goods and services from India.

Senior officials from the commerce ministry, and commercial wings of Indian Missions of 20 countries are holding a three-day meet from today (6 January) to discuss ways to promote exports of goods and services to devise strategies for boosting exports of goods and services.

 

Agriculture minister Shivaraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday reviewed various schemes with state agriculture ministers and sought their suggestions on ongoing programmes and budget allocation ahead of the Union Budget. During a virtual meeting, Chouhan expressed satisfaction over the agriculture and allied sector's likely higher growth rate of 3.5-4 per cent in the 2024-25 fiscal year, and urged state governments to work at a 'faster pace', according to an official statement.

 

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday said despite global economic uncertainties, India's exports of goods and services are expected to cross USD 800 billion this fiscal, which will be a record. Last fiscal year, the exports stood at USD 778 billion.

 

Indo-Dutch Horticulture Technologies marked Kisan Diwas 2024 with an inspiring event at their Chafi, Bhimtal facility to honor farmers and promote collaboration between farmers and students. Celebrated under the 'Unnati-Apple Initiative,' the event highlighted farmers' invaluable contributions and emphasized innovation and knowledge sharing.

 

Senior officials from the commerce ministry, and commercial wings of Indian Missions of 20 countries will hold a three-day meet, beginning here on Monday, to discuss ways to promote exports of goods and services, an official said. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal will also interact with these commercial representatives on January 6.

 

India and the Maldives have finalised a framework to promote the use of local currencies for cross-border trade, marking a significant development in bilateral economic cooperation. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, during his meeting with Maldivian Foreign Minister Abdulla Khaleel in New Delhi, reiterated India's unwavering commitment to the island nation, describing it as a vital part of India’s 'Neighbourhood First' policy.

 

The Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) is a transformative initiative by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce, Government of India aimed at democratizing digital commerce. Launched in April 2022, ONDC is an initiative aiming at promoting open networks for all aspects of exchange of goods and services over digital or electronic networks. ONDC is based on open-sourced methodology, using open specifications and open network protocols independent of any specific platform. 

 

The government has permitted exports of two lakh tonne of wheat to Nepal, according to a notification issued on Saturday. The export is permitted through National Cooperative Exports Limited (NCEL), the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) said in the notification.

 

Indian coffee exports in the 2024 calendar year saw a 45 per cent jump in dollar value terms at over $1.684 billion, a record high on increased demand from buyers in Europe such as Italy and Germany. In 2023, coffee exports were $1.160 billion.

 

Under the 'Mission Bee' programme in Gujarat, 284 milk producers associated with Amul Dairy have produced about 16000 kilograms of honey, stated an official release from the state government, Saturday.