Govt of India To Support Exporters Amid West Asia Crisis, Says Piyush Goyal

The government will deploy all available policy measures to help Indian exporters cope with disruptions arising from the ongoing crisis in West Asia, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Friday.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Vice Chancellors’ Conclave hosted by the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) in New Delhi, Goyal said the government has constituted an inter-ministerial group to monitor the situation daily and coordinate support for exporters.

Exporters have reported difficulties in shipping consignments to West Asia following the recent joint military action by the United States and Israel against Iran, which has disrupted regional supply chains and increased freight costs.

Goyal said the government is in constant dialogue with the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways and shipping companies to find ways to ease the burden on exporters. “Daily meetings are being undertaken to understand how the additional freight and logistics pressures can be addressed,” he said.

According to the minister, the government is working on measures that could provide relief to exporters and expects to finalize some steps within the next two days. Earlier this week, the government set up an Inter-Ministerial Group on Supply Chain Resilience to closely track developments and coordinate responses. 

The remarks came during the Vice Chancellors’ Conclave 2026 organized by IIFT at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, under the theme “Reimagining Internationalisation of Higher Education for Viksit Bharat 2047.” The event brought together more than 75 vice chancellors, academic leaders, and policymakers to discuss India’s global academic engagement.

Addressing the gathering, Goyal highlighted the importance of taking high-quality Indian education to the global stage and appreciated the initiative of the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade. He also noted that India has finalized nine free trade agreements with developed countries under the leadership of Narendra Modi, opening new avenues for global collaboration in trade, services, and education.

IIFT Vice Chancellor Prof. Rakesh Mohan Joshi said the conclave created a collaborative platform for academic leaders to collectively reflect on how Indian institutions can expand their global engagement while contributing to the broader national vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.

"India has immense potential to emerge as a global destination for quality education. Through initiatives such as the Vice Chancellors’ Conclave, IIFT seeks to catalyse partnerships and dialogue that will strengthen internationalisation of Indian higher education,” said Prof. Rakesh Mohan Joshi. 

The conclave featured thematic discussions and expert dialogues on international partnerships, student mobility, regulatory frameworks, dual degree programmes, and strategies to enhance the global competitiveness of Indian higher education institutions.

The conclave was attended by several eminent academic leaders, including Prof. Prem Vrat, Pro-Chancellor of The NorthCap University; Prof. Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit, Vice-Chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University; Prof. T. G. Sitharam of the Indian Institute of Science; and Prof. Anil Sahasrabudhe, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the National Assessment and Accreditation Council.