A panel discussion on Ease of Doing Business with Focus on Customs, MSMEs and DGFT highlighted how sustained policy reforms, digitisation and export facilitation measures are reshaping India’s trade ecosystem, particularly for MSMEs and first-time exporters. Held on 9 January 2026, the session brought together Rupa Dutta, Senior Advisor, DPIIT; Dr. Nilesh Trivedi, Assistant Director, MSME–DFO Indore, Ministry of MSME; and Dr. Pravin Kumar, Development Commissioner, MIHAN SEZ and Joint DGFT, RA Mumbai, with Mihir Shah, Foreign Trade and EXIM Advisor, moderating the discussion.
Ms. Rupa Dutta outlined DPIIT’s role in driving structural ease-of-doing-business reforms, noting that the focus has shifted from incremental fixes to systemic simplification. She highlighted the rationalisation of regulations, consolidation of notifications and removal of redundant compliances, aimed at reducing transaction costs for businesses. Digitisation, she said, has improved predictability and transparency, allowing enterprises to engage with government systems with minimal physical interface.
The panellists underlined that ease of doing business remains a core government priority, with major steps taken to streamline customs processes through integrated digital applications, faster clearances and reduced turnaround time. System-to-system data exchange has further reduced manual intervention and improved accountability.
Dr. Nilesh Trivedi outlined the Ministry of MSME’s role in enterprise development, highlighting support through registrations, technical guidance, training programmes, exhibitions and outreach initiatives to help MSMEs formalise, scale and participate in global trade.
Dr. Pravin Kumar emphasised DGFT’s transition to fully digital, end-to-end processes, including online authorisations and automated Certificates of Origin, enabling exporters to better leverage FTAs and preferential tariffs.
The discussion also covered export promotion schemes, MSME-friendly documentation norms, cluster-based development and logistics reforms to support e-commerce exports. The panel concluded that coordinated action across DPIIT, MSME, Customs and DGFT is steadily lowering entry barriers for exporters and strengthening India’s export competitiveness.