Data collated by the Commerce Ministry has indicated that since 2009 the share of raw materials in India’s exports basket to countries with which it signed the free trade agreements has remained stagnant, while the intermediate goods exports have gone up.

Import data Sumanta Chaudhuri, Joint Secretary, Department of Commerce, said the Ministry has taken initiatives to collect comprehensive export (through FTA route) data.

Import data suggest that the impact of FTAs on import surge was restricted to 20-25 per cent, he said. In the past few years, after India entered into a number of FTAs, higher value addition at home and exporters going up in the value chain has been the broad trend.

Launching a sample survey among the exporters and importers on the experience in using the FTA-related benefits, Chaudhuri said the survey results would be made public in the next three months.

Reviewing pacts The Ministry is targeting reviews of FTAs for future re-negotiations. The inputs would also be used to frame new export-import policy.

The official said for gathering export-related data, the Government is considering changes in the Customs department’s software and exporters’ disclosure formats.

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