Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal Launches LEAPS 2025 Awards & LEADS Report, Highlights FTAs and $1 Trillion Export Target

<h3>Overview</h3> <p><strong>Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Shri Piyush Goyal</strong> inaugurated the <span class="key-term" data-definition="Logistics Excellence, Advancement and Performance Shield — a national award recognising innovation and best practices in logistics and supply chain management (GS3: Economy)">LEAPS</span> 2025 ceremony, unveiled the <span class="key-term" data-definition="Logistics Ease Across Different States — DPIIT’s annual assessment of logistics performance of Indian states and UTs, used for benchmarking and reforms (GS3: Economy)">LEADS</span> 2025 report, and outlined India’s trade and export agenda. The event, held in New Delhi, brought together senior officials, industry bodies, logistics firms, startups and academia.</p> <h3>Key Developments</h3> <ul> <li>Recognition of winners across 13 categories – Core Logistics, MSMEs, Startups, Institutions and Special Categories – under the <span class="key-term" data-definition="Logistics Excellence, Advancement and Performance Shield — a national award recognising innovation and best practices in logistics and supply chain management (GS3: Economy)">LEAPS</span> programme.</li> <li>Release of the <span class="key-term" data-definition="Logistics Ease Across Different States — DPIIT’s annual assessment of logistics performance of Indian states and UTs, used for benchmarking and reforms (GS3: Economy)">LEADS</span> 2025 report, introducing a four‑tier performance framework (Exemplars, High Performers, Accelerators, Growth‑Seekers).</li> <li>India’s <span class="key-term" data-definition="Free Trade Agreements — bilateral or multilateral pacts that reduce tariffs and trade barriers, enhancing market access for Indian goods and services (GS3: Economy)">FTAs</span> now cover more than two‑thirds of global trade; nine agreements are operational or will be operational within 12 months.</li> <li>Export performance: FY 2025‑26 recorded a record <strong>USD 863 billion</strong> in exports, with services growth of 8.5‑9 % and overall export growth of ~5 %.</li> <li>Government set an aspirational export target of <strong>USD 1 trillion</strong> for FY 2026‑27, leveraging new FTAs and logistics reforms.</li> <li>Emphasis on reducing logistics costs as a national mission, backed by investments in infrastructure, <span class="key-term" data-definition="Goods and Services Tax — a unified indirect tax on the supply of goods and services across India, simplifying tax structure (GS3: Economy)">GST</span> reforms, de‑criminalisation of offences (Jan Vishwas Bill) and digitalisation of processes.</li> </ul> <h3>Important Facts</h3> <p>• India has signed nine <span class="key-term" data-definition="Free Trade Agreements — bilateral or multilateral pacts that reduce tariffs and trade barriers, enhancing market access for Indian goods and services (GS3: Economy)">FTAs</span> covering 38 developed economies, with four already in force and five to commence within a year.<br> • Ongoing negotiations with Chile, Maldives, GCC (six Gulf nations), Canada, Eurasia, Mexico, SACU and Mercosur aim to expand market access.<br> • The <span class="key-term" data-definition="Logistics Ease Across Different States — DPIIT’s annual assessment of logistics performance of Indian states and UTs, used for benchmarking and reforms (GS3: Economy)">LEADS</span> methodology now assigns ~59 % weightage to objective indicators, enhancing robustness.<br> • Four‑tier classification: <strong>Exemplars</strong> (e.g., Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Mizoram, Delhi), <strong>High Performers</strong> (e.g., Gujarat, Kerala, Maharashtra, Haryana, Telangana, Bihar, Tripura, Meghalaya, Jammu & Kashmir, Puducherry), <strong>Accelerators</strong> (e.g., Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Goa, Karnataka, Punjab, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Assam, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Chandigarh, Ladakh, Lakshadweep), and <strong>Growth‑Seekers</strong> (e.g., West Bengal, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Andaman & Nicobar).</p> <h3>UPSC Relevance</h3> <p>The developments illustrate how the government integrates trade policy, logistics infrastructure and regulatory reforms to boost economic growth – a core topic for <strong>GS 3: Economy</strong>. Understanding the role of <span class="key-term" data-definition="Logistics Excellence, Advancement and Performance Shield — a national award recognising innovation and best practices in logistics and supply chain management (GS3: Economy)">LEAPS</span> and <span class="key-term" data-definition="Logistics Ease Across Different States — DPIIT’s annual assessment of logistics performance of Indian states and UTs, used for benchmarking and reforms (GS3: Economy)">LEADS</span> helps answer questions on logistics cost reduction, supply‑chain resilience and state‑level performance benchmarking. The expansion of <span class="key-term" data-definition="Free Trade Agreements — bilateral or multilateral pacts that reduce tariffs and trade barriers, enhancing market access for Indian goods and services (GS3: Economy)">FTAs</span> and the target of a $1 trillion export basket are directly linked to India’s trade strategy, foreign exchange earnings and balance of payments – frequent UPSC essay topics.</p> <h3>Way Forward</h3> <p>• Accelerate operationalisation of pending FTAs to unlock new markets and diversify export baskets.<br> • Continue infrastructure investments under <span class="key-term" data-definition="PM GatiShakti National Master Plan — an integrated infrastructure development framework aimed at improving connectivity and logistics efficiency (GS3: Economy)">PM GatiShakti</span> and the <span class="key-term" data-definition="National Logistics Policy — a policy framework to promote multimodal transport, reduce logistics costs and enhance supply chain competitiveness (GS3: Economy)">National Logistics Policy</span>, focusing on multimodality and digital freight corridors.<br> • Strengthen state‑level logistics reforms using the <span class="key-term" data-definition="Logistics Ease Across Different States — DPIIT’s annual assessment of logistics performance of Indian states and UTs, used for benchmarking and reforms (GS3: Economy)">LEADS</span> framework to close performance gaps.<br> • Promote innovation through startups, ESG‑compliant practices and skill development to sustain the export growth trajectory.<br> • Maintain policy continuity in tax reforms (e.g., <span class="key-term" data-definition="Goods and Services Tax — a unified indirect tax on the supply of goods and services across India, simplifying tax structure (GS3: Economy)">GST</span>) and de‑criminalisation to improve ease of doing business. </p>