Commerce Ministry's 'Trade Connect ePlatform' for Indian exporters to go live in 2-3 months 

"The ePlatform is expected to provide facilitation for new and aspiring exporters, information on various regulations to access markets, sectors, export trends, easy access of benefits under Free Trade Agreements, access to sector specific events along with a facility to address trade related queries to officials in Government of India and associated entities to get expert advice. The platform is likely to be ready in 3-4 months’ time period," the ministry said in a statement.

Describing the ePlatform as a one-stop-shop for exporters and importers to connect with existing portals, Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) Santosh Kumar Sarangi told CNBC-TV18 that credit facilities will be also be available in the 2nd phase of the ePlatform.

The DGFT said that the meeting also emphasized collaboration to boost exports from export-deficient states, linking higher exports to higher per capita income, and spotlighting key contributing states such as Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. The 4 states account for 65% of India's total exports and have a higher PCI than the national average, he added.

Explaining that even the value chains associated with exports benefits from them, he said that the benefit also comes by adapting to global benchmarks, citing examples of visible economic affluence from exports in the mango orchards and banana clusters in Navsari in Gujarat; the grape growing belt in Nashik in Maharashtra, and the coffee estates of Coorg in Karnataka.

Sarangi urged traders to promote exports for nation-building, underlining the need for more inclusive distribution of export benefits across India's districts, "only 62 of over 760 districts in India account for 80% of all exports," he noted.