Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal on Tuesday stressed the need for legally binding commitments on professional services under India’s Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) to help Indian professionals access global markets, as the government looks to leverage the country’s demographic dividend and growing services strength.
Speaking at a Chintan Shivir on Professional Services organised by the Department of Commerce, Agrawal said closer stakeholder coordination, reforms in the domestic ecosystem, and stronger international trade commitments were essential to unlock global opportunities for Indian professional services.
The conclave, held on December 23 at Vanijya Bhawan, New Delhi, was organised by the Department of Commerce in collaboration with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) and the Services Exports Promotion Council (SEPC) under the theme “Expanding Global Horizons: Opportunities for Indian Professionals”.
Highlighting the importance of services trade in India’s economic growth, Agrawal noted that services contribute significantly more to domestic value addition compared to merchandise exports. He said India’s large and young workforce positions the country well to meet rising global demand for professional services, provided skills are continuously upgraded to align with international standards and emerging technologies.
He also underscored the importance of adopting global best practices and enhancing openness in international trade in professional services to boost competitiveness. Professional bodies, he said, should actively participate in international conferences and platforms to promote knowledge exchange and global collaboration.
Joint Secretary in the Department of Commerce, Darpan Jain, set the context for the discussions, while sectoral perspectives were shared by ICAI President CA Charanjot Singh Nanda, Indian Nursing Council President Dr T. Dileep Kumar, and Council of Architecture President Prof Abhay Vinayak Purohit. ICAI Vice President CA Prasanna Kumar D and SEPC Chairperson Dr Upasana Arora also addressed the inaugural session.
The Chintan Shivir featured four thematic sessions focusing on making Indian professionals globally competitive, strengthening international mobility through Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) and memoranda of understanding, expanding overseas professional networks, and leveraging FTAs to boost exports of professional services.
Participants discussed the need to revisit domestic rules and regulatory frameworks governing professional practice, training, and skill upgradation, particularly in the context of rapid advancements in artificial intelligence and digital technologies. The ICAI’s playbook—covering international chapters, certification courses, and technology-driven infrastructure—was cited as a model that other professional bodies could adapt.
The efforts of the Indian Nursing Council to enhance overseas opportunities for Indian nurses were also highlighted, especially amid regulatory challenges in developed economies. Best practices such as high-fidelity simulation labs, centres of excellence, and language training programmes received appreciation.
Deliberations on MRAs focused on challenges in negotiating such agreements, ensuring their effective use, and developing outcome-based metrics to assess their impact. Participants also discussed the need to make India’s regulatory frameworks more “recognition-ready” to facilitate future MRAs, particularly in light of the growing role of Global Capability Centres and digitally delivered services.
On FTAs, discussions centred on future-proofing digital delivery of professional services, mobility provisions, qualification requirements, and domestic regulatory procedures. Issues related to data privacy, data protection, and opportunities arising from foreign universities setting up campuses in India were also examined.
The Department of Commerce said it would work with relevant stakeholders to take forward the action points identified during the Chintan Shivir to strengthen India’s professional services exports and expand their global presence.
