Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal on Thursday launched the National Strategic Trade Command Centre (NSTCC) at Vanijya Bhawan, New Delhi, marking a step towards strengthening data-driven monitoring, trade intelligence and evidence-based governance of India’s international trade ecosystem.
Developed by the Department of Commerce under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the command centre will bring together trade-related data from multiple systems to provide policymakers with a consolidated view of trade performance, export promotion schemes, regulatory approvals and operational indicators.
The launch was attended by Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal and Director General of Foreign Trade Lav Agarwal.
Integrated Platform for Trade Monitoring and Performance Assessment
The NSTCC has been conceptualised to provide senior policymakers and government officials with a consolidated view of India’s trade performance, export promotion schemes, regulatory approvals, application processing and other operational indicators, according to a press release issued by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
At its core is an integrated analytics and visualisation platform designed to convert trade-related data into actionable insights. The platform features interactive dashboards covering key trade indicators, scheme performance, application pendency, processing timelines, regional trends and compliance-related parameters.
It enables users to analyse information at multiple levels, including national trade performance, Regional Authorities, schemes, products, destination markets and individual applications, subject to role-based access permissions.
Goyal Calls for Expeditious Clearance of Pending SCOMET Applications
Speaking on the occasion, Goyal lauded the NSTCC for enabling data-driven and evidence-based decisions on trade-related matters. During a review of the dashboard for Special Chemicals, Organisms, Materials, Equipment and Technologies (SCOMET), he called for regular meetings of the Inter-Ministerial Committee, including weekly meetings if required, to clear the backlog of pending applications and ensure their expeditious disposal.
Dashboards Cover Key DGFT Functions
In its initial phase, the command centre brings together dashboards covering key functions of the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) and related trade domains. These include the Importer Exporter Code (IEC), Advance Authorisation, Export Promotion Capital Goods (EPCG), Certificate of Origin (CoO), SCOMET, restricted imports and exports, and other regulatory and trade facilitation processes.
The dashboards will facilitate monitoring of scheme utilisation, processing efficiency, export obligations, trade patterns and operational performance across Regional Authorities.
The NSTCC is designed to support three key dimensions of trade governance. Integrated monitoring will provide consolidated visibility into trade trends, application processing, pendency and emerging risks, helping identify and address operational issues in a timely manner. Performance assessment will enable the monitoring and benchmarking of schemes, processes and Regional Authorities against defined indicators to identify gaps and areas for improvement. Evidence-based policy inputs will help identify recurring bottlenecks, procedural complexities and emerging trade patterns, supporting policy simplification, process improvements and targeted trade facilitation measures.
Strengthening Trade Intelligence and Export Opportunities
The initiative also aims to strengthen India’s trade intelligence capabilities through product-wise and market-wise analysis, assessment of trade agreement utilisation, identification of export opportunities and monitoring of India’s position across international markets.
The command centre has been designed to leverage existing digital infrastructure, including DGFT systems and the Trade Connect ePlatform. It will also provide a framework for the phased integration of additional datasets from other departments and trade-related agencies.
Towards a Whole-of-Government Decision-Support Mechanism
Going forward, the NSTCC is envisaged to evolve into a broader whole-of-government decision-support mechanism, with phased access for authorised stakeholders, including relevant ministries, states, Export Promotion Councils and other institutions.
Its analytical capabilities will be progressively enhanced through the integration of additional data, automated alerts and advanced analytics.
The launch marks a shift towards more proactive, transparent and responsive trade governance, enabling the Department of Commerce and DGFT to move from periodic reporting towards continuous monitoring, coordinated intervention and evidence-based policy formulation.
The initiative also reinforces the Government of India’s focus on leveraging digital technologies and data-driven governance to strengthen trade facilitation, improve administrative efficiency and enhance India’s competitiveness in global trade.
-PIB Inputs
