Legally binding commitments on professional services under FTAs to unlock global markets for Indian professional services: Commerce Secretary
Department of Commerce holds Chintan Shivir on "Expanding Global Horizons: Opportunities for Indian Professionals"
Ways to utilise and assess the effectiveness of Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) discussed
Commerce Secretary, Shri Rajesh Agrawal, emphasised the importance of enhanced stakeholder coordination, reforms in the domestic ecosystem, and legally binding commitments on professional services under various FTAs to unlock global markets for Indian professional services, while inaugurating a Chintan Shivir on Professional Services.
The Department of Commerce (DoC), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, in association with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) and the Services Exports Promotion Council (SEPC), organised the Chintan Shivir under the theme "Expanding Global Horizons: Opportunities for Indian Professionals" on 23 December 2025 at Vanijya Bhawan, New Delhi. During the event, the Commerce Secretary further underscored the importance of services trade for India's economic growth, noting its strong contribution to domestic value addition vis-à-vis merchandise exports.
Shri Agrawal emphasised that India's demographic dividend offers immense potential to meet the rising global demand for professional services. He stated that to realise this potential, it is critical to adopt global best practices and equip professionals with upgraded skills aligned with evolving global market needs and technological developments. The Commerce Secretary said that greater openness in international trade in professional services would enhance competitiveness in India's economy. He encouraged professional bodies to organise and participate in international conferences to enable knowledge sharing and provide platforms for enhanced collaboration.
The Joint Secretary, Department of Commerce, Shri Darpan Jain, set the context for the Chintan Shivir. Sectoral perspectives were provided by the President, ICAI, CA. Charanjot Singh Nanda; the President, Indian Nursing Council (INC), Shri (Dr.) T. Dileep Kumar; and the President, Council of Architecture (CoA), Prof. Abhay Vinayak Purohit. The Vice President, ICAI, CA. Prasanna Kumar D, and the Chairperson, SEPC, Dr. Upasana Arora, also addressed participants during the inaugural session.
The Chintan Shivir was organised into four sessions: (a) Making Globally Ready Professionals; (b) Strengthening International Mobility through MRAs and MoUs; (c) Developing Networks - Formation and Expansion of Professional Chapters Abroad; and (d) Leveraging FTAs for Boosting Professional Services Exports.
The Chintan Shivir provided an opportunity for professional bodies to exchange ideas on global best practices as well as practices followed among peers in India. Areas were identified where professional bodies could re-examine existing rules and regulations governing professional practice and undertake appropriate changes in training and skill upgradation programmes to ensure alignment with evolving developments in artificial intelligence and technology.
In this regard, the ICAI playbook was widely appreciated for the dynamic and market-oriented hard and soft infrastructure put in place, including chapters, an international directorate and certification courses focused on technology and AI. Other professional bodies were encouraged to explore how this playbook could be adapted for their respective professions. The efforts of the Indian Nursing Council to enable Indian nurses to gain greater access to international markets were acknowledged, particularly in view of regulatory challenges in many advanced economies in the health sector. Good practices such as high-fidelity simulation labs, centres of excellence and language training courses were appreciated. Professional bodies were encouraged to intensify engagement with counterparts in other countries, with connections through Indian missions abroad identified as useful.
Discussions on Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) centred on key challenges associated with entering into MRAs as well as ensuring effective utilisation of existing MRAs. Emphasis was placed on the need for clear outcome metrics to assess the effectiveness of MRAs. Discussions also focused on making India's sectoral regulatory frameworks more 'recognition-ready' for pursuing MRAs. In the context of Global Capability Centres and the rapid scaling of digitally delivered services, the role of MRAs in India's future professional services export strategy was also deliberated.
On leveraging FTAs, discussions focused on future-proofing the digital delivery of professional services, in addition to mobility-related provisions and horizontal domestic regulations related to qualification requirements and procedures. Emphasis was placed on the need for greater openness within the Indian professional services landscape to foreign professionals practising in India to craft win-win outcomes. Issues related to data privacy and protection, as well as opportunities arising from foreign universities setting up branches in India, were also discussed.
Based on the deliberations of the Chintan Shivir, the Department of Commerce, in collaboration with concerned stakeholders, will take forward the identified action points to provide the right impetus to Indian professional services to expand globally.
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