Industries Minister Lakhan Lal Dewangan unveils FTA accelerator, exporters’ guide, divisional workshops and helpdesk; state targets doubling exports under its 2026-30 policy
TFP Bureau, Raipur, November 12, 2026:Chhattisgarh has announced four initiatives to help local industries tap international markets and benefit from India’s Free Trade Agreements (FTAs). The measures were unveiled by Commerce and Industries Minister Lakhan Lal Dewangan at a state-level workshop on the effective utilisation of FTAs, organised in Raipur on Thursday.
The initiatives include launching a Chhattisgarh FTA Accelerator in collaboration with leading academic institutions, publishing a comprehensive FTA Guide, conducting awareness workshops across all divisions and setting up a dedicated FTA Helpdesk at the Directorate of Industries from January 15, 2027.
The English version of the FTA Guide is scheduled for release in December 2026, followed by its Hindi version in January 2027. Divisional workshops will be conducted across the state by February 2027, while the accelerator programme will focus on helping businesses understand and utilise trade agreement provisions.
The workshop was organised jointly by the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) and the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO). It aimed to familiarise existing and prospective exporters with international trade opportunities, preferential market access and the benefits available under India’s FTAs.
Addressing industrialists and entrepreneurs, Dewangan said Chhattisgarh had considerable potential for industrial growth and exports, particularly in forest-based products. He noted that the state’s exports stood at approximately ₹18,000 crore in the previous year, with rice, steel, ferro-alloys and aluminium among its major export products.
The minister said India had entered into trade agreements with several countries, including the UAE, Australia, Oman, the United Kingdom and New Zealand. These agreements could open up new opportunities for Chhattisgarh’s businesses by providing improved access to international markets.
He also highlighted the Chhattisgarh Export Promotion Policy 2026-30, which aims to double the state’s exports by strengthening export-oriented industries and expanding the international reach of local products.
Earlier, Chhattisgarh State Industrial Development Corporation Chairman Rajiv Agrawal highlighted the state’s industrial strengths and the need to connect local products with global markets. Commerce and Industries Department Secretary Rajat Kumar Bansal and Union Commerce Ministry Joint Secretary Manish Chhabra also shared their views.
During the technical sessions, Chhabra explained the structure and functioning of Free Trade Agreements, their practical benefits and the opportunities they offer Indian exporters. Director of Industries Prabhat Malik presented an overview of sectors with existing and emerging export potential in Chhattisgarh.
Dr Praveen Kumar, Joint Director General of Foreign Trade at the DGFT’s Raipur regional office, spoke about the Export Promotion Mission and the initiative to develop districts as export hubs. Discussions focused on identifying district-level products and resources that could be linked to international markets and strengthening export-related activities at the local level.
Senior officials of the Industries Department, industrialists and aspiring entrepreneurs from different districts attended the workshop.
