International Trade Policy and Strategy

International trade and its significance in economic development; Direction and composition of India’s exports and imports; Theories and rationale of international trade policy; Objectives and features of India’s Foreign Trade Policy; Legal and institutional framework governing foreign trade; Historical evolution of India’s trade policy since economic liberalisation; Emerging trends in global trade and international business.

Structure and objectives of import policy; Instruments of import regulation; Import licensing systems and procedures; Open General Licence (OGL) and automatic licensing; Import substitution and trade protection measures; Tariff structures and tariff classifications; Bound tariffs and quantitative restrictions; Anti-dumping duties, countervailing duties and safeguard measures; WTO provisions relating to import regulation and market access.

Export-led growth and trade-driven economic development; Evolution of export promotion policies in India; Export promotion schemes and incentives; Duty drawback and export facilitation measures; Export Promotion Capital Goods (EPCG) Scheme; Deemed exports and export financing support; Current Foreign Trade Policy and export strategies.

Regulatory framework under FEMA; Role and functions of the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT); Export Promotion Councils (EPCs); Commodity Boards and Export Development Authorities; Functions of APEDA and MPEDA; Export Houses and Trading Houses; Export Processing Zones (EPZs); Foreign Trade Zones (FTZs); Software Technology Parks (STPs); Institutional mechanisms for trade facilitation and export development.

Special Economic Zones (SEZs); Export-Oriented Units (EOUs); Agri Export Zones (AEZs); Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs) and Free Trade Agreements (FTAs); Trade facilitation and ease of doing business initiatives; Sustainability issues in international trade; Digital trade and cross-border e-commerce; Geopolitical developments and global supply chain disruptions.