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Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada has said that issuance of certificates of origin, a key document for exporters seeking duty benefits under free trade agreements (FTAs), has more than doubled from 3.6 lakh in 2021-22 to over 7.8 lakh in 2026-27 so far.  He said this surge reflects growing utilisation of India’s trade agreements and the expanding market access available to Indian exporters. An exporter has to submit the certificate at the landing port of the importing country. The document is important to claim duty concessions under free trade agreements as they are essential to prove where the goods come from.

The minister stated that India's merchandise exports registered strong growth during April-June 2026-27. During the period, exports rose 16 per cent to $129.32 billion from $111.57 billion in the corresponding period of 2025-26. Also, merchandise exports to India's FTA partner countries grew at a faster pace of 25 per cent, increasing to $43.14 billion during April-June 2026 as compared with $34.65 billion in the corresponding period last year. 

As a result, he said the share of FTA partner countries in India’s total merchandise exports increased to 33.4 per cent in the April-June period of FY27 from 31.1 per cent in the same quarter of the previous fiscal. He noted that the figures highlight the growing role of trade agreements in boosting exports and creating wider market access for Indian businesses. He added that India currently has implemented trade agreements with the UAE, Australia, the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) bloc, Oman and the UK.