India launches online trade portal for exporters to US

The platform is aimed at helping India's small-and-medium-sized businesses and first-time exporters gain access to the US market, the outlets reported. Exporters of goods and services will be able to connect with American buyers, including large retailers such as Amazon Inc., Walmart Inc. and Costco Wholesale Corp., through the trade portal, Business Standard and The Hindu BusinessLine reported.

India and the US set a target of more than doubling bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030 during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meeting with Trump last year, the outlets reported. Modi was among the first foreign leaders to meet Trump after his return to the White House, Business Standard and The Hindu BusinessLine reported.

India and the US traded nearly $141 billion of goods and services for the year to March, the outlets reported. The US accounted for about 20% of India's exports in the 12 months through July, Business Standard and The Hindu BusinessLine reported.

The new portal, the target for bilateral trade, and the trade figures for the two countries were all reported by Business Standard and The Hindu BusinessLine in the context of the push to expand India-US commercial ties. The outlets reported that the platform's focus on smaller and first-time exporters was intended to widen the base of Indian businesses selling into the US market, alongside access to major retail buyers such as Amazon, Walmart and Costco.

Business Standard and The Hindu BusinessLine reported that the $500 billion trade target was set during Modi's meeting with Trump last year, and separately reported that Modi had been among the first foreign leaders to meet Trump after his return to the White House. The outlets reported that the US made up about 20% of India's exports in the 12 months through July, and that total India-US trade in goods and services was nearly $141 billion for the year to March.