‘Trade action policy to require cooperation, harmonisation’

Surjit Bhujabal hailed the NTFAP 2024-2027, emphasizing synergy in customs and logistics for a robust supply chain and export competitiveness.

Hailing the National Trade Facility Action Plan (NTFAP) 2024-2027 approved by the government, Surjit Bhujabal, special secretary and member (customs), said on Saturday that to implement the policy a lot of cooperation will be needed along with synergy between customs operations and “harmonisation” of the logistics infrastructure.

( L TO R) Samanjasa Das, Principal Chief Commissioner of Delhi Customs CBIC, ,Aruna N Gupta Member, Admin and Vigilance of CBIC, Surjit Bhujabal, Member (Customs) , M K Singh Member, Compliance Management CBIC during International Customs day celebrations 2025 at CSOI Auditorium in New Delhi, India, on Saturday, February 15, 2025. (Hindustan Times)

Bhujabal said that as a way forward, there has to be a “seamless global supply chain experience” so that even in the face of disruptions like the Covid-19 pandemic, the supply chains play out “very robustly”.

According to the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs, the NTFAP 2024-2027 aims at reducing logistics costs and boost export competitiveness for becoming “self-reliant” and achieving the goal of becoming a $5 trillion economy within 5 years, aligning with the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.

Its goals are to bring down the overall cargo release time for imports and exports. Bhujabal said, speaking on the occasion of the International Customs Day in New Delhi on Saturday. He said the NTFAP is “very ambitious” and emphasised that for seamless service customs officials need to pay attention to the grievances in a bid to understand the “pain points” for smooth trade operations.

“Today also we are concerned about bringing in uniformity in customs and practices…There is so much work to do…One of the critical areas of focus for the government and all of us, and including you (customs officials), is to ensure how to bring uniformity into practices…Synergy of the customs operations and harmonisation of the logistics infrastructure will be the critical focus area and how we going to attain that is the key question,” said Bhujabal. He said a study was carried out by the Asian Development Bank on Delhi’s air cargo, and the research showed some gaps.

“That document (the ADB research) is engaging the highest minds of the executive on what exactly is the gap and what needs to done to bridge that,” said Bhujabal.