Odisha Holds Workshop to Help MSMEs Tap Global Markets Through Free Trade Agreements

Bhubaneswar: Odisha is looking to expand its export footprint by helping micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), industrialists and entrepreneurs leverage India’s Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with other countries.

The state MSME and Industries departments jointly organised a state-level workshop on ‘Leveraging Free Trade Agreements’ at Mayfair Convention in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday to familiarise local businesses with opportunities available under these trade arrangements and help them explore international markets.

MSME Minister Gokulananda Mallik, who attended the workshop, said global markets offered new avenues for economic growth and prosperity. He said the programme aimed to help local industrialists, exporters and entrepreneurs understand the FTAs signed by the Government of India and identify ways to maximise their benefits.

Industries Minister Sampad Chandra Swain emphasised the need to enhance Odisha’s export capacity and increase the state’s participation in international trade. He expressed confidence that the initiative would help local businesses expand their reach and strengthen their presence in global markets.

The workshop was organised by the Odisha government’s MSME Department in collaboration with the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry and the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT). The programme focused on translating India’s trade agreements into practical business opportunities for enterprises in Odisha.

Free Trade Agreements are designed to facilitate trade between participating countries by reducing or removing certain trade barriers. For businesses, these agreements can open up opportunities to access overseas markets under preferential trade terms, subject to applicable conditions and rules of origin.

The workshop sought to familiarise Odisha’s entrepreneurs and exporters with these opportunities and help them better understand how to use the agreements to expand their businesses beyond domestic markets.

Agrim Kaushal, Senior Economic Adviser and Joint Secretary in the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry; Rashmita Panda, Commissioner-cum-Secretary of the MSME Department; Aboli Sunil Narwane, Director of Industries; and Manoj Singh, Assistant Director General of Foreign Trade, attended the programme.

The initiative comes amid efforts to strengthen the competitiveness of local enterprises and connect Odisha’s industrial sector with wider international trade networks. Improved awareness of trade agreements is expected to help businesses identify export opportunities and explore new markets for their products.