The times ahead are going to be tough and challenging and exporters should show their capabilities in such situations to increase shipments, said Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal.

While addressing FIEO’s Niryat Shree and Niryat Bandhu Awards function held here, he said, “India’s exports have reached an all-time high of USD 773 billion in 2022-23.” “The times ahead are going to be very, very tough. The situation is only deteriorating from what we saw as happened today in the Ukraine-Russia war, It’s going to be very, very challenging in the months and years ahead of us. But tough times is the time when people with mettle show their capabilities,” he added.

According to reports, Russia has claimed it foiled an attack by Ukrainian drones on the Kremlin early Wednesday, calling it an unsuccessful assassination attempt against President Vladimir Putin and promising retaliation for what it termed a terrorist act. The Ukrainian president denied it, saying “We didn’t attack Putin or Moscow”.

The minister said that in the global economic uncertainties, Indian exporters showed resilience and exports of goods and services reached USD 773 billion.

Goyal said, “Let us all work together to ensure that we don’t get left behind. Let us all work together to ensure that we will show the pathway to the rest of the world and towards that trading beyond boundaries, trading to newer markets, and trading in newer products produced in India for the world. Serving from India to the world economies, to developed economies, exploring new markets, and new opportunities, diversifying our export basket, encouraging collaborations and investment both into the country and internationally, and becoming globally more competitive. These will be the drivers of our export and future international engagements. We have to ensure that the world recognizes brand India for quality and reliability.”

He also expressed confidence that exports by 2030 would reach USD 2 trillion.
Goyal gave away the 17th Set of Niryat Shree and Niryat Bandhu Awards to the outstanding exporters and service providers based on their excellent export performance and incremental growth in exports.

FIEO President, Dr A Sakthivel in his welcome address, congratulated the awardees for their remarkable efforts shown during the turbulent period in global trade.
He said that they have made the country proud through the sheer dint of their hard work amid meticulous planning.

Dr Sakthivel expressed his gratitude to the Minister and said that the exports sectors saw a remarkable growth of over 55 per cent in 2 years, taking aggregate exports to USD 770 billion in 2022-23 and adding US$ 218 billion in the last two financial years, equivalent to Rs 17 lakh 44 thousand crores.