India reviewed the impact of the West Asia war on its trade and agreed on steps to ensure smooth movement of cargo, particularly time-sensitive exports such as perishables and pharmaceuticals, the government said on Monday, March 2.
India’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry held a stakeholder consultation on the ongoing war between US, Israel, and Iran and agreed to maintain real-time coordination to monitor routes, capacity and costs to ensure smooth export-import (EXIM) cargo flows.
The meeting brought together key ministries, logistics operators and trade facilitation partners to assess the impact of the evolving geopolitical situation on India’s trade and export ecosystem.
Officials discussed measures to support time-sensitive exports such as perishables, pharmaceuticals and high-value manufactured goods, while emphasising the need to strengthen facilitation at ports and inland container depots to avoid congestion and delays.
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The government reiterated its readiness to ease trade operations, including offering procedural flexibility in export authorisations in cases of disruption, coordinating with customs authorities for smooth clearance, and engaging financial and insurance institutions to support exporters.
The meeting, chaired by Special Secretary (Commerce) Suchindra Misra and Director General of Foreign Trade Lav Agarwal, was attended by representatives from the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs, Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, the Reserve Bank of India, shipping lines and other stakeholders.
Participants flagged changes in shipping routes and transit times, vessel schedules, container availability, and rising freight and insurance costs, along with the need to ensure smooth documentation and payment processes.
Export consignments of fruits, vegetables and rice bound for West Asia are piling up at India’s western ports, raising the risk of spoilage and financial losses for exporters.
Officials said ensuring continuity of EXIM logistics and minimising disruptions to trade flows remained a priority, adding that the government would maintain a coordinated approach to safeguard supply chains and protect exporter interests, particularly small businesses.
(Edited by : Tenzin Norzom)
First Published: Mar 2, 2026 7:43 PM IST