India simplifies export documentation for West Asia, North Africa markets | Today News

New Delhi: To ease documentation requirements for exporters trading with West Asia and North Africa (WANA), the government has authorised the India & Arab Countries Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (IACCIA) to issue non-preferential certificates of origin, according to a government order.

The decision is aimed at improving ease of doing business, particularly for small and medium exporters who often face bottlenecks in securing certificates during peak export cycles.

The move comes amid India’s expanding trade ties with the Arab countries. India has signed free trade agreements (FTA) with the UAE and Oman, and is in talks to begin negotiations on an FTA with Qatar.

Certificates of origin are mandatory trade documents used by importing countries to verify the origin of goods, even when preferential tariff benefits are not being claimed. Such certificates are routinely sought by customs authorities in West Asia and North Africa for regulatory compliance, anti-dumping checks and trade statistics, making timely issuance critical for exporters to avoid shipment delays.

IACCIA is endorsed by India’s external affairs ministry and commerce and industry ministry, as well as the League of Arab States, the Union of Arab Chambers, and the Council of Arab Ambassadors in New Delhi.

The chamber facilitates business delegations, buyer–seller meets and trade promotion activities, and its inclusion as an authorised issuing body is expected to provide exporters with a more specialised and region-focused option for certification.

"The decision may help in improving ease of doing business for exporters, particularly small and medium enterprises that often face bottlenecks in securing certificates during peak export cycles,” said Vinod Kumar, President, India SME Forum.

The WANA region comprises 19 countries, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Iraq, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Sudan, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Syria, Jordan, Israel, Lebanon, Yemen, Libya and South Sudan.

“Authorising an agency to issue certificates of origin will help reduce procedural bottlenecks for exporters, particularly those trading with West Asia and North Africa where such documentation is routinely required,” said Arun Kumar Garodia, former chairman of the Engineering Export Promotion Council.

WANA remains one of India’s largest trading regions, driven by energy imports as well as rising non-oil exports. In FY25, India’s merchandise exports to key WANA markets were over $64 billion, while total bilateral trade with the region exceeded $216 billion, the commerce ministry data showed.

The largest export destination in the region continues to be the UAE, where India’s exports rose to $36.64 billion in FY25, up from $35.63 billion in FY24. The UAE remains India’s most important trading partner in West Asia, and bilateral trade has gained further traction following the implementation of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).

Exports to Saudi Arabia stood at $11.76 billion in FY25, broadly stable compared with the previous year, while shipments to Iraq were valued at $3.27 billion. India’s exports to Kuwait declined to $1.93 billion, and those to Bahrain fell to $0.80 billion during the year.

Among India’s free trade agreement partners in the region, exports to Oman stood at $4.07 billion in FY25, even as imports from Oman rose sharply, reflecting strong energy inflows.

Exports to Qatar, where India has begun discussions to explore a free trade agreement, were valued at $1.68 billion in FY25, broadly flat year-on-year. Exports to Egypt stood at $3.41 billion, while shipments to Sudan declined to $0.59 billion amid ongoing economic and political challenges in the country.

The Directorate General of Foreign Trade said in an order that it has added the India & Arab Countries Chamber of Commerce, Industry & Agriculture to the official list of agencies authorised to issue certificates of origin with immediate effect.