Board of Trade to Meet on July 3 to Advance Export Growth Through Recent FTAs
Commerce Ministry to discuss trade agreements, export strategy and USD one trillion merchandise export target for 2026-27
The Board of Trade (BoT), under the chairmanship of Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, will convene on July 3 to assess the benefits arising from recent trade agreements and deliberate on strategies to boost the country's exports, according to an official.
The meeting will bring together participants from various states, Union Territories, and senior officials representing both the public and private sectors. Representatives of export promotion councils, along with other participants, are expected to present their views on issues related to the export sector.
“The BoT is meeting on July 3 here,” the official said.
The previous meeting of the Board of Trade was held on November 25, 2025.
The upcoming meeting assumes significance as India has implemented five free trade agreements (FTAs) since 2021 with Mauritius, Australia, the UAE, Oman, and the four-nation European Free Trade Association (EFTA) bloc. India has also signed a trade agreement with the UK, which is scheduled to come into force on July 15.
The trade agreement with the 27-nation European Union (EU) is expected to be signed by the end of this year and may come into force next year.
The meeting is also important as India is working towards increasing the country's merchandise exports to USD one trillion in 2026-27. Merchandise exports stood at USD 863 billion in 2025-26.
Earlier this month, the government appointed 29 non-official members to the Board of Trade. The appointments include SBI Chairman C S Setty, Apple India MD Virat Bhatia, and Mahindra & Mahindra MD Anish Shah.
In 2019, the government merged the Council of Trade Development and Promotion with the Board of Trade to improve coherence in consultations with stakeholders involved in promoting exports and imports.
The Board of Trade serves as a platform for consultation between the government and trade and industry leaders on policy measures related to foreign trade. It also enables state governments and Union Territories to present their perspectives on trade policy while keeping the Central government informed about international developments affecting India's trade potential and opportunities.
India's exports increased to a six-month high of 18 per cent at USD 45.2 billion in May, while the trade deficit widened to USD 28.21 billion.
During April-May 2026-27, exports rose 16.09 per cent to USD 88.91 billion, while imports increased 15.14 per cent to USD 145.35 billion. The trade deficit during the period stood at USD 56.44 billion.