NITI Aayog Releases Fifth Edition of ‘Trade Watch Quarterly’
NITI Aayog on Monday released the fifth edition of its flagship publication Trade Watch Quarterly, offering a comprehensive and data-driven assessment of India’s trade performance amid evolving global economic conditions, with a special focus on the automotive export sector.

The latest edition, covering Quarter I of FY 2025–26 (April–June 2025), was released by Dr. Arvind Virmani, Member, NITI Aayog, in the presence of senior officials and stakeholders. Dr. Virmani said the publication provides valuable insights into emerging structural shifts in India’s trade profile and highlights areas critical for enhancing export competitiveness.

The report notes a rising contribution of technology-intensive exports, sustained strength in services-led growth, and changes in import composition that reflect India’s deeper integration into global value chains. These trends, it said, underline the changing nature of India’s engagement with global trade.

A key thematic focus of this edition is India’s automotive exports, a sector with growing global relevance and strong domestic manufacturing capabilities. The analysis highlights India’s notable gains in auto components and vehicle segments such as motorcycles and tractors, supported by expanding export footprints across both advanced and emerging markets.

Despite these achievements, the publication points out significant opportunities for India to increase its share in the $2.2 trillion global automotive export market. Based on global export mapping and stakeholder consultations, the report suggests policy measures to enhance competitiveness, including strengthening quality standards and certification systems, accelerating technology adoption, improving logistics, diversifying markets, and fostering deeper integration into global automotive supply chains.

Addressing the release, Dr. Virmani emphasised that improving export competitiveness, particularly in high-potential sectors like automobiles, will be vital for sustaining long-term economic growth and employment generation.

The Trade Watch Quarterly is expected to serve as a key reference for policymakers, industry, researchers and academia, offering evidence-based analysis and forward-looking policy recommendations to strengthen India’s trade performance in a rapidly changing global environment.