As part of the Government of India’s nationwide campaign commemorating 12 Years of Governance, the Department of Commerce organised a press briefing in Guwahati today to highlight the key initiatives, achievements, and policy interventions of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Addressing the media, Ms. Kapil Chaudhary, Joint Secretary, Department of Commerce, spoke on the theme “FTAs and New Opportunities with Special Focus on Plantation and Forest Products,” highlighting the benefits of India’s Free Trade Agreements and the emerging opportunities they present for exporters, producers and stakeholders in the plantation and forest products sectors.

Ms. Chaudhary informed that India’s total export value stood at $863bn in 2025-26 which is significantly higher than the $468 bn in 2014-15, growing at a compounded annual growth rate of 5.7%. She highlighted how the transformation in digital infrastructure of trade with platforms such as Trade Connect, Trade Intelligence & Analytics (TIA) portal, a sturdy grievance redressal system and overall Ease of Doing Business initiatives have assisted traders and exporters in the country.

The significant benefits of India's Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with various countries such as the India-UK FTA, Indian-Australia ECTA etc. were explained in detail. She stated that these agreements are enabling Indian businesses to access new international markets and strengthen the country's export competitiveness. Sectors such as agriculture, textiles, pharmaceuticals and plantation products are among the major beneficiaries of these trade agreements.

Highlighting the Export Promotion Mission (EPM), Ms. Chaudhary informed that the mission will provide a comprehensive, flexible and digitally driven framework for export promotion. The initiative has a total outlay of ₹25,060 crore for the period from FY 2025–26 to FY 2030–31.

Speaking on Assam's export potential, she stated that apart from tea, products such as petroleum products, coal, drug formulations, cosmetics and toiletries are also witnessing increasing exports from the state. She further highlighted the growing prospects of the rubber sector in Assam and informed that the world's first genetically modified rubber plant, developed by the Rubber Research Institute specifically for the region, has been planted in Assam.

 

 

 

The press briefing was also addressed by Shri M. Vasanthagesan, Executive Director, Rubber Board, who spoke on “The Opportunities and Challenges in the Rubber Sector in the North East Region and the Role of the Rubber Board.” He highlighted the immense potential for rubber cultivation in Assam and informed that the state ranks third in the country in rubber production after Kerala and Tripura.

Shri Vasanthagesan stated that the Rubber Board is focusing on both expansion of cultivation area and enhancement of productivity to bridge the demand-supply gap in natural rubber. He informed that rubber cultivation in the North Eastern region currently covers about 1.8 lakh hectares, of which nearly 50,000 hectares are located in Assam, underscoring the state's growing importance in India's rubber economy.

A collaborative initiative of the Rubber Board funded by ATMA (Automotive Tyre Manufacturers Association) called the INROAD Project envisages development of rubber plantations in Northeast and West Bengal over two lakh hectares during the period 2021–2026. Since the inception of the project, planting has been completed in 1,79,376 hectares benefiting 2,07,248 growers up to the 2025 planting season.

Prior to her media interaction, Ms. Kapil Chaudhary, participated in an Industry Interaction Session which was attended by exporters, MSMEs, ICC, tea industry representatives, food processors, manufacturers, startups, and other stakeholders from across the North Eastern Region. She encouraged exporters from the Northeast to focus on value addition, quality enhancement, branding, and market diversification to strengthen their presence in international markets.

 

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