The Government of India is actively responding to the evolving situation in West Asia by organizing stakeholder consultations led by the Commerce and Shipping Ministries. These consultations aim to tackle emerging logistics, packaging, and shipping challenges affecting India’s trade and export activities. Senior officials, port authorities, shipping agencies, Export Promotion Councils, and industry representatives participated in these meetings.
The Commerce Secretary chaired a meeting that focused on issues arising from disruptions in packaging materials and associated inputs. Concerns were raised about the impact of geopolitical developments on the availability and pricing of key petrochemical inputs, leading to increased packaging material costs. Industries like apparel, leather, telecom/optical fiber, and medical devices are particularly vulnerable to supply chain stress and rising input costs.
Stakeholders emphasized the importance of ensuring the continuous availability of critical inputs like liquefied natural gas, helium, and petrochemical derivatives. They also highlighted the need for timely Goods and Services Tax refunds to enhance liquidity for businesses. The Government’s commitment to securing critical raw materials and maintaining production continuity was underscored, along with plans to assess key packaging inputs, monitor export-import trends, and address sectoral stress indicators regularly.
The second meeting, co-chaired by the Secretary of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, and the Secretary of the Department of Commerce, focused on addressing logistics and shipping-related challenges. Discussions covered documentation processes, cargo matters, shipping line benefits, air freight costs, railway concessions, and bunker fuel availability. Stakeholders were updated on vessel availability, cargo handling, and transshipment operations, with smooth cargo movement reported and no significant constraints observed.
Following the meeting, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways instructed all ports and terminal operators to enhance transparency and operational efficiency. Measures include publishing concessions and waivers, reviewing bunker fuel availability, and expediting the evacuation of stranded containers to improve system efficiency. Customs officials also outlined steps to streamline cargo clearance at ports and discussed hazardous cargo issues to enhance operational procedures.
