Expanding Global Horizons: Unlocking Global Markets for Indian Professionals Through Legally Binding FTA Commitments
SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth | SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
Ministry of Commerce and Industry | Department of Commerce | Services Exports Promotion Council (SEPC) | Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI)
The Department of Commerce (DoC) organized a Chintan Shivir on December 23, 2025, titled “Expanding Global Horizons: Opportunities for Indian Professionals.” The event emphasized that legally binding commitments under Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) are essential to unlocking global markets for Indian professional services.
Demographic Dividend: India’s young workforce offers significant potential to meet rising global demand. Realizing this requires adopting global best practices and upgrading skills in areas like artificial intelligence and technology.
Institutional Playbooks: The ICAI playbook—which includes international chapters and specialized certification courses—was identified as a model for other professional bodies to adapt.
Sectoral Successes: The Indian Nursing Council’s efforts to establish simulation labs and language training were recognized as key to overcoming regulatory hurdles in advanced healthcare markets.
Digital Future: Discussions focused on future-proofing the digital delivery of services, addressing data privacy, and leveraging Global Capability Centres.
Strategic Mobility: The Chintan Shivir identified the need for clear outcome metrics to assess the effectiveness of Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) and making India’s sectoral frameworks “recognition-ready”.
What are Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs)? MRAs are international agreements through which countries agree to recognize each other’s professional qualifications and regulatory standards. In the context of professional services, an MRA allows an Indian professional (like an accountant or nurse) to have their credentials recognized in a partner country, facilitating smoother international mobility without extensive re-certification.
Policy Relevance
The Chintan Shivir underscores a strategic pivot toward making India’s regulatory frameworks “recognition-ready” to better leverage FTAs. By integrating professional services into the core of trade negotiations and focusing on horizontal domestic regulations, India seeks to transition from being a service provider to a global standard-setter. This approach aims to secure predictable, legally binding market access for Indian professionals in exchange for greater openness within the domestic landscape.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders: How can the Department of Commerce develop standardized “outcome metrics” to objectively measure the success of existing MRAs and guide the negotiation of future legally binding service commitments under upcoming FTAs?
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