Overview
Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman served as India’s Commerce and Industry Minister from 2014 to 2017, driving major reforms to improve ease of doing business, promote exports, and enhance transparency in public procurement. Over 7,000 big and small steps were implemented to simplify procedures, including fixed timelines for application clearances, de-licensing of several defence products, online single-window clearance through the e-Biz project, reduced documentation for imports and exports, and mandatory online filing of returns.
She launched the Foreign Trade Policy (2015–20), the Interest Equalization Scheme to provide cheaper credit to exporters, and the Trade Infrastructure for Export Scheme (TIES) to address logistics gaps, while establishing a dedicated logistics division that improved India’s global logistics ranking. She also oversaw the creation of the Government e-Marketplace (GeM), a transformative e-procurement platform that brought transparency and efficiency to public procurement across central and state governments.
Key Highlights
- Launch of Trade Infrastructure for Export Scheme (TIES)
Smt. Sitharaman launched the Trade Infrastructure for Export Scheme (TIES) designed to build and modernise export infrastructure that is professionally run and sustained, thereby supporting exporters across the country. - Mid-term Review of Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2015-20
Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman chaired a meeting to advance the mid-term review of India’s FTP, focusing on synchronising the revised trade policy with GST rollout and boosting exports from SMEs and high-employment sectors. - Inauguration of the Second National Conference on Economics of Competition Law
As MoS (I/C), Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurated the Second National Conference on “Economics of Competition Law”, emphasising the role of fair competition and a dynamic Competition Commission of India. - India Delegation at India-Japan Business Conference
Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman led the Indian delegation at a high-level India conference in Nagoya, Japan, emphasising synergies in trade and economic cooperation between India and Japan. - Standards & Export Quality Focus
Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman addressed the 4th National Standards Conclave, calling for quality norms that are global-ready yet affordable for manufacturers and exporters, strengthening export competitiveness. - Consultation on New Industrial Policy
Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman initiated consultations across industry and state stakeholders for the formulation of a new Industrial Policy - the first update since 1991 - aimed at modernising India’s industrial framework.
