Lok Sabha Question No. 305 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-07-22
Subject: Gains Made by Indian Exporters
Ministry: COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Asked by: Smt. Rachna Banerjee

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE)

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 305

ANSWERED ON 22.07.2025

## Gains Made by Indian Exporters

## 305.    SMT. RACHNA BANERJEE:

Will the Minister of COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY ( वाणिज्य और उद्योग मंत्री ) be pleased to state:

- (a) the steps taken by the Government to provide detailed assessment of the gains made  by  Indian  exporters  and  manufacturers  since  the  signing  of  the  India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in 2022;
- (b) the specific sectors that have witnessed significant growth in exports to the UAE post-CEPA;
- (c)  whether  there  are  any  support  being  provided  to  MSMEs  to  tap  into  these opportunities, if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) the details of the list of Indian products that have benefited from tariff reductions under CEPA and the manner in which this has impacted competitiveness in the UAE market?

## ANSWER

वाणिज्य और उद्योग मंत्रालय में राज्य मंत्री ( श्री णिणिन प्रसाद ) THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (SHRI JITIN PRASADA)

- (a) The India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) was signed on 18 February 2022 and came into force on 1 May 2022. The Agreement provides  significant  benefits  to  Indian  and  UAE  businesses,  including  enhanced market access and reduced tariffs. Since the signing of CEPA, India-UAE bilateral trade has witnessed robust growth and diversification with trade increasing from 72.87 USD billion in FY 2021-22 to USD 100.06 billion in FY 2024-25. Since signing of the Agreement, India has engaged continuously with the UAE side through regular high-

level meetings like the Joint Committee, established as an institutional mechanism to take stock of the implementation of CEPA. The Trade in Goods Committee has also met several times to address issues related to bilateral trade. Both sides have taken concrete steps to operationalize various other Sub-Committees as well to deliberate on issues related to trade in services, rules of origin, customs procedure and trade facilitation.

(b) Our merchandise exports to UAE have grown from 28.04 billion USD in 2021-22 to 36.63 billion USD in 2024-25 exhibiting a growth of 7% . Key sectors that have seen increase in exports from India since CEPA came into force are Engineering Goods, Gems & Jewellery, Agricultural Products, Marine products, Pharma and Electronics goods.

- (c) Under the provisions of the CEPA, India stands to benefit from preferential market access provided by the UAE covering several sectors important to MSMEs. Ministry of  MSME  has  constituted  a  Joint  SME  Committee  under  the  provision  of  bilateral CEPA, to promote partnership between the SMEs of both sides and identify ways to assist SMEs in taking advantage of the commercial opportunities arising from IndiaUAE CEPA.  Through Market Access Initiative (MAI) Schemes, MSMEs are provided financial help which acts as a catalyst to promote India's exports on a sustained basis to  targeted  countries  including  UAE.   Ministry  of  MSME,  through  its  International Cooperation (IC) Scheme had facilitated participation by India MSME delegations of MSME representatives in various international trade-fairs/exhibitions held in UAE.

(d) The  CEPA between India and the UAE covers almost all tariff lines of India (11,908)  and  the  UAE  (7,581)  respectively.  India  benefits  from  preferential  market access provided by the UAE on over 97% of its tariff lines which account for 99% of Indian exports to the UAE in value terms which includes gems and jewellery, Textiles, leather,  footwear,  sports  goods,  plastics,  furniture,  agricultural  and  wood  products, engineering products, medical devices and Automobiles.

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