News: NITI Aayog released the fourth edition of the Export Preparedness Index (EPI) 2024.
About Export Preparedness Index (EPI) 2024
- It is a comprehensive assessment of export readiness across States and Union Territories (UTs).
- It provides an evidence-based framework to strengthen export competitiveness at the State, UT and district levels.
- Released by: NITI Aayog
- First edition: The first edition was published in August 2020.
- Strategic Alignment: It is aligned with India’s target of USD 1 trillion in merchandise exports by 2030 and supports the long-term national vision of Viksit Bharat @2047.
- Objectives
- It evaluates the strength, resilience and inclusiveness of subnational export ecosystems.
- It identifies structural challenges, growth drivers and policy opportunities.
- It promotes sustainable growth, employment generation, regional balance and integration into global value chains.
- Structure of the Index: It is built around four pillars-
- Export Infrastructure
- Business Ecosystem
- Policy and Governance
- Export Performance.
- It is further divided into 13 sub-pillars and 70 indicators for granular analysis.
- Methodology
- It uses data-driven and indicator-based approach and official data from Central Ministries, State Governments and public institutions.
- Indicators are normalised and aggregated with balanced weightages across pillars and sub-pillars.
- Key Enhancements in 2024 Edition
- Inclusion of new dimensions such as macroeconomic stability, cost competitiveness, financial access, human capital and MSMEs.
- State and UT Classification:
- States and UTs grouped into Large States, Small States, North Eastern States and Union Territories.
- They are categorized within each group as Leaders, Challengers or Aspirers to enable benchmarking and peer learning.
- District-Level Focus: Greater emphasis is on districts as the fundamental units of export competitiveness.
- It encourages place-based export strategies rooted in local strengths, clusters and value-chain linkages.
Key Findings of the Export Preparedness Index (EPI) 2024
- Top Performing States: Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat Uttar Pradesh
and Andhra Pradesh ranked highest among large states due to strong industrial ecosystems and export infrastructure. - Uttarakhand led the smaller states category, followed by Jammu & Kashmir, Nagaland, Dadra & Nagar Haveli & Daman & Diu, Goa, and Tripura.
- Expanding Regional Export Base: The rankings show rising export preparedness in non-traditional and smaller states, indicating broader regional participation in exports.
