RBI committee suggests measures to boost exports

07 May 2013 Evaluate

In order to boost exports and bridge the widening current account deficit, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has suggested a slew of measures such as introduction of differential tax regime and increasing the scope of interest subsidy scheme for exporters. The central bank said ‘the global trade environment may not improve in the immediate period. Therefore, there is an urgent need to boost India’s exports so that the trade deficit is narrowed down, and CAD stays within the projected cap’.

The CAD, which is the difference between the inflow and outflow of foreign currency, had touched a record high of 6.7 per cent in the third quarter of FY13. Moreover, exports declined by 1.76 per cent to $300.6 billion in 2012-13 fiscal and the trade deficit touched an all time high of $190.91 billion for the same period.

The central bank had constituted a technical committee on services/facilities for the exporters headed by RBI Executive Director G Padmanabhan to suggest ways for improving financial support from alternative sources. In line with its objective, the committee has made recommendations relating to review of Gold Card Scheme for extension of export credit to exporters, appropriate inclusion of export finance under the priority sector lending and widening the scope of interest subvention.    

To make the tax structures more streamlined for exporters, the RBI committee said that like Singapore and Sri Lanka, which offer differential tax rates to promote exports, the government may consider offering this facility to Indian exporters. It also asked for early introduction of Goods and Services Tax (GST), since exporters incur numerous levies, such as VAT (value added tax), purchase tax, turnover tax, octroi, electricity duty, which make the Indian export pricing uncompetitive. 

Further, the committee also recommended continuation of export credit refinance policy for three years, which would provide certainty in availability of funds to the banks for managing their asset-liability positions and would also build confidence among the exporting community. It also proposes to set up a nodal agency for borrowing in foreign currency from abroad on a pool basis, and further lend to export orientated companies in India at competitive rates. 

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