Trade Promotion Schemes — Policy Reforms

Entry	Year	Description	Impact
Foreign Trade Policy 2004-09	2004	Introduced schemes like Focus Product Scheme and Focus Market Scheme, consolidating various incentives and moving towards a more structured and transparent policy framework.	Simplified the incentive regime, aiming for greater predictability and ease of access for exporters, laying groundwork for future comprehensive policies.
Foreign Trade Policy 2015-20	2015	Consolidated multiple export incentive schemes into two flagship programs: Merchandise Exports from India Scheme (MEIS) and Service Exports from India Scheme (SEIS). Also continued EPCG, Advance Authorization, and DFIA.	Streamlined incentives, provided broader coverage for goods and services, and aimed to reduce administrative burden. However, these schemes later faced WTO compliance challenges.
Withdrawal of MEIS/SEIS and Introduction of RoDTEP	2021	Following a WTO dispute ruling, MEIS was phased out (effective 2021) and SEIS was discontinued. The Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP) scheme was introduced as a WTO-compliant replacement.	Marked a significant shift in India's export incentive strategy from value-based incentives to a tax-remission model, ensuring compliance with international trade rules while continuing to neutralize embedded taxes for exporters.
Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Schemes	2020 onwards	Introduced across various sectors, these schemes offer incentives on incremental sales of products manufactured in India. While not direct export promotion, they significantly boost domestic manufacturing capacity and competitiveness.	A strategic shift towards building domestic manufacturing capabilities and scale, indirectly supporting export growth by making Indian products more competitive globally and reducing import dependence, aligning with 'Atmanirbhar Bharat'.