Nine trade pacts to open global markets for farmers, manufacturers in Arunachal Pradesh: Piyush Goyal
New Delhi, Aug 7
Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday said Arunachal Pradesh's farmers, metal producers and manufacturers stand to gain from India's recent trade agreements, which he said would provide the frontier state greater access to global markets.
In a post on social media platform X, Goyal said nine trade agreements signed under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi have opened new opportunities for the northeastern state across sectors ranging from agriculture and manufacturing to tourism.
"Arunachal Pradesh's farmers, metal producers, and manufacturers just got a direct line to global markets, thanks to the 9 new trade deals inked under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership," Goyal said.
"The frontier state is now on the front line of Bharat's growth story," he added.
According to a video shared by the minister on the social media platform, the trade pacts include agreements with the UK, New Zealand, the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), the UAE, Australia, Mauritius and Oman among others.
The minister said farmers and processed food producers in the state would gain access to larger and more affluent overseas markets, helping boost agricultural exports.
Base metal producers are also expected to benefit from improved competitiveness in international markets, while manufacturing activity in the state could receive a fresh push from lower tariffs and wider export opportunities, according to the video.
It added that products such as auto components and brake linings, which were earlier largely confined to domestic or local markets could find greater acceptance abroad as tariff barriers are reduced under the trade agreements.
Apart from merchandise exports, eco-tourism sector in the state is also expected to benefit from stronger international economic linkages and greater global visibility, according to the minister's post.
The gains from these trade agreements would flow directly to people engaged in farming, manufacturing and allied sectors, he said.
Goyal further highlighted that Arunachal Pradesh is well-positioned to make a bigger contribution to the government's vision of a Viksit Bharat aided by expanding trade opportunities and deeper integration with global markets.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Good initiative by the Indian government to integrate northeastern states into the global economy. Arunachal has immense potential in organic farming and eco-tourism. Hope this actually translates into on-ground benefits for the local communities.
The emphasis on eco-tourism is particularly good. Arunachal is so beautiful with Tawang, Ziro Valley, and the biodiversity. But we need proper infrastructure and connectivity for these trade benefits to actually work. Let's see how the implementation goes.
While this sounds promising on paper, we must remember that trade agreements often take years to show tangible results. Also, local farmers need training on export quality standards and market dynamics. Otherwise, these pacts remain just announcement exercises. Just saying, as someone who works with agri-exports.
"Direct line to global markets" sounds great in PR statements, but we should be realistic about logistics. Arunachal Pradesh is landlocked and remote. Without serious investment in cold chains and transport infrastructure, perishable products won't survive the journey to ports. Let's hope the ground reality matches the vision.
Finally, the Northeast is getting its due! For decades, these states were neglected. Under PM Modi, we are seeing real focus on integrating all of Bharat into the global economy. The EU and UK pacts will definitely help the bamboo and handicraft sectors in Arunachal. Jai Hind! 🇮🇳
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