No.CLE-HO / PTLM / FTAs / 2022-23

30^th May 2022

To: All Members of CLE

Dear Sir(s),

Sub:  Free Trade Agreements – India-UAE & India-Australia – Dissemination of information – reg.

As all are aware that India has successfully achieved its ambitious target for merchandise exports of USD 400 Billion in the current financial year, which is the highest ever and has surpassed the previous record of USD 330 Billion achieved in 2018-19 by a good margin. The Government of India has embarked on an ambitious road to negotiate Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with its major trade partners. To this end, India has signed the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with the Government of United Arab Emirates (UAE) which was negotiated and finalized in 88 days. India-UAE CEPA is the first deep and full FTA to be signed by India with any country in the past decade. Further, India has also finalized India-Australia Free Trade Agreement (FTA) namely Economic Cooperation Trade Agreement (ECTA) and this agreement also envisages a broad scope in terms of its coverage. These FTAs provide an institutional mechanism to expand the level of trade with these partners.

In order to disseminate the details of the FTAs and create awareness on the scope and potential benefits amongst various stakeholders, trade bodies, Export Promotion Councils, Trade Chambers, Industry members etc, the Department of Commerce, Government of India is conducting State Outreach Programmes in 8 cities across the country. Once such outreach programme was held in Chennai on 10.05.2022 which was participated by Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, Hon’ble Union Minister of Finance & Corporate Affairs, Govt. of India, Smt. Anupriya Patel, Hon’ble MOS, Commerce and Industry, Government of India, Dr. L. Murugan, Hon’ble MOS for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, I&B, Government of India & Thiru T.M Anbarasan, Hon’ble Minister for MSME and Rural Industries including Cottage Industries, Small Industries, Government of Tamil Nadu.                   The event was participated by senior officials from Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Department of Commerce, Govt of India, Customs, State Government officials, Export Promotion Councils, Chambers of Commerce, Federation of Indian Export Organization (FIEO) and industry representatives of various industrial sectors including from Leather & Footwear sector. Shri Sanjay Leekha, Chairman, Council for Leather Exports (CLE) led the participation from Leather & Footwear sector, in the presence of Shri M Israr Ahmed, Regional Chairman (South), CLE.

It is now proposed to circulate the following materials in PDF form for your kind perusal and reference:

1. Booklet on India-UAE CEPA and India-Australia ECTA – FAQs
2. PPT on India -UAE CEPA and India-Australia ECTA made by Shri Santosh Kumar Sarangi, Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Govt. of India
3. Book on An India Economic Strategy to 2035 – Navigating from Potential to Delivery, brought out by the Government of Australia
4. Flyer on India-Australia Relations and ECTA, brought out by Australian High Commission, India.

The above materials are attached herewith in PDF form.

It is requested that all the stakeholders and members of the industry may kindly peruse the above materials and derive economic benefits out of the India-UAE CEPA and India-Australia ECTA and thus enhance production, trade and exports.

With warm regards,

SELVAM, IAS
Executive Director

1. Book on India-UAE and India-Australia FTA-FAQs

2. Latest updates on FTAs

3. PPT India-UAE & India-Australia FTA

4. India – Australia ECTA Flyer

5. An India Economic Strategy to 2035 by Australian Government