Supporting intuitions to Facilitate export/import :

1. Functions and role of EPC's ( Export Promotion Councils )

1. To appraise Govt. on export growth, necessary data and of

exporters problems in general trade and advise Govt.. to
remove such difficulties and resolve trade disputes.
2. To arrange in an organised manner delegates to go abroad to
promote exports of specific products or group of products and
circulate the reports of visits to its members to help their
exports
3. To establish contacts with overseas buyers, project associates,
locate, right suppliers and buyers and circulate the trade
enquiries among members.
4. To conduct market surveys, researches and publish the results
through its bulletins and publications in different markets
5. To provide credibility reports on suppliers' status, technical
competence and help in tie-ups
6. To offer valuable advice on finance, banking, insurance, joint
ventures, customs formalities etc.
7. To arrange buyers-sellers meet, supply of indigenous and
imported raw materials and help in shipping and transport
problems.
8. To chalk out plans for display or advertising of member's
products in overseas markets
9. To seek foreign offices of EPC's help to exporters in
consolidating the existing exports and diversifying into new
products by opening new offices and explore export potentials
and liaise with industry, trade, Govt. and trade bodies.
10. To render all assistance in exports finance.

Other various service and support institutes to facilitate exports:

Govt. of India has also created various other services and support
institutes to facilitate the task of promoting exports through export
finance, market research, export credit insurance, resource
personnel for exports, publicity, packaging, quality control,
transport, etc.
2. Commodity Boards
These are organisations set up for the development of certain
commodities for export and deal with all problems of production,
development and marketing of the commodities concerned.
Objectives and Functions

1. To advice the Govt. on policy matters such as fixing quotas for

exports, signing trade agreements, etc.
2. To undertake promotional activities such as participation in
exhibitions and trade fairs, opening foreign officers, conduct
market surveys and sponsoring trade delegations, etc.
3. Export Credit Guarantee Corporation (ECGC) This has been
established in 1964 with head office in Mumbai and controlled
by ministry of commerce government of India.( Please refer
Vol. Export Import Finance).
4. Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT)

India needed trained and skilled personnel for the development of

export trade and IIFT was set up in 1963 as an autonomous body
registered under Societies Regulation Act.
Main functions of IIFT

1. To train personnel at various levels for export trade

2. To collect data and documents an all aspects of export trade
3. To ascertain characteristics of foreign markets and consumer
preferences
4. To determine scope and techniques to be adopted for
increased export trade
5. To provide consultancy service to companies in matters
relating to exports
6. To house library with periodicals from UNO/FATT/UNCTAD etc.
7. To publish trade bulletins, trade reviews, journals etc. and
disseminate information concerning exports and export
activities.

5. India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO)

It is a nodal agency of Indian Govt.. to provide a wide spectrum of
services to export trade and industry and act as catalyst for growth
of India's export trade.
Activities of ITPO
 1. Identifies and nurtures specific export products with long
range growth prospects
2. Organises various trade fairs and exhibitions in India and
potential foreign countries
3. Cultivates overseas buyers and establishes durable contacts
between, Indian suppliers and overseas buyers
4. Organises buyers sellers meets seminars conferences,
workshops with a view to bring buyers and sellers together
5. Organises India promotions with Department stores and order
Houses abroad
6. Conducts in house and need based research on export trade
and promotion
7. Manages the extensive trade five complete pragati maidan
Delhi and establishes such fair facilities in various states to
promote exports from India
8. Overseas offices of ITPO pursues investment opportunities
besides activities aimed at promoting India's exports.
9. Enlists the involvement and support of the state governments
in India for promotion of foreign trade.

6. Export Inspection council (EIC)

With the objective of exporting Indian goods of good quality with
international standards and for lending any dense in overseas
buyers the government of India passed export quality control and
inspection Act 1963
(Please refer Export Finance Chapter VII and page 47)
Objectives and Activities of (EIC)

1. Consults trade and industry, conducts detailed discussions,

studies of buyers exacting needs and formulate standards for
pre-shipment inspection.
2. Comes out with various schemes of quality control, pre-
shipment inspection and self-certificate schemes
3. Establishes laboratories and test houses for export products
4. Recommends to Govt.. of India the commodities for quality
control ,and inspection type and organises to conduct the
same.

7. Indian Institute of Packaging (IIP)

Govt. of India in collaboration with the industry has set up IIP in
1966 with Mumbai as its headquarters to match the packaging
standards of export goods with that of international standards and
sophistication
Aims and functions of IIP

1. To stimulate consciousness for good packaging

2. To undertake research on raw materials to be used for
packaging
3. To have full information on latest developments in packaging
4. To organise training programmes for personnel of packaging
and packing technology

8. Indian Council of Arbitration (ICA)

Govt. of India has set up in 1965 ICA as Apex arbitration body to
solve disputes between exporters and importers.
Objective and Functions

1. To promote and encourage amicable settlement of foreign

trade disputes
2. To arrange for amicable settlement of disputes through its
constituent members
3. To prepare and maintain panel of arbitrators
4. To propagate and popularize the idea of Arbitration
5. To collaborate with international organisations

9. Directorate General of Shipping

Directorate General of shipping was set up in 1949 with
headquarters at Mumbai.
Objective and Functions

1. To deal with all matters relating to merchant shipping like

navigation and administration of merchant shipping etc.
2. To develop Indian shipping
3. To regulate ocean freight rates in export trade.

10. All India Shipper's Council

The Apex body titled All India shippers council was set up in Delhi
with five regional shippers organisation like Easter, Western,
Southern, Northern and South Western Shippers council to provide
periods consultation with all parties concerned on matters of
common interest such as freight structure, conference practices,
conference lines like availability of shipping space, port facilities port
charges etc. for export import cargoes.
11. Department of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics
This body was established with its head office at Kolkata
Functions

1. Responsible for commercial intelligence collection, compilation

and publication of statistics of trade, tariff and shipping
2. Maintains commercial library in Kolkata on trade disputes.

12. Central Advisory Council on Trade

Apart from the above there are consultative bodies such as central
advisory council on trade and zonal export import advisory
committees have been created to discuss various problems relating
to export and import and suggest ways and means for promoting
exports trade. On the deliberations of such organizations the Govt..
of India, frames and formulates its export and import promotion
policies and successful implementation of export schemes.
This was set up in 1978 by merging Board of trade and advisory
council on trade headed by Union Minister of Commerce. This
consists of 28 members from Reserve Bank of India, Exim Bank,
Federation of Indian Exports Organisation Member of parliaments
and industrialists and hold office for two years.
Functions

1. To advise Govt. an export import policies and programmes and

operations of the same.
2. To organise export production
3. To organise and develop commercial services

13. Zonal Export Import Advisory Committees

These are set up as follows in four zones namely Northern,
Southern, Eastern and Western Zonal Export Import advisory
committees Functions of the Zonal export import advisory
committees are
1. To consider difficulties and suggest measures in relations to
the operation of export import policies and procedures,
programs and disbursement of cash assistance.
2. To consider difficulties and suggest measures in matters
relating to customs clearance, shipping, credit insurance and
export inspection.