India to hire 1,000 professionals to boost FTA usage
India is bringing in 1,000 young professionals to help local businesses and exporters actually benefit from free trade agreements (FTAs).
The move comes as many FTAs, especially with ASEAN, Japan, and South Korea, aren't being used much.
The aim: open up more export opportunities and give manufacturing a push.
Who are these new hires?
Even though FTAs offer lower duties for Indian goods abroad, many businesses are focusing more on the domestic market.
These new hires will work directly with exporters and business groups across India to spot untapped overseas markets and help them navigate and better utilize existing FTAs, and to identify barriers to higher utilization.
It's about helping Indian products reach more countries.
Australia and UAE are already seeing benefits
By shifting some focus from domestic sales to exports under these agreements, India hopes to see more goods shipped out at preferential rates.
This strategy has already worked well with Australia and the United Arab Emirates.
Now the goal is to see similar success with other trading partners too.