No legal right to seek reasons for excluding feedback in foreign trade policy: Govt

In a notification, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) said that the government may seek views of the industry stakeholders for the FTP but it
is not obliged to provide reasons to stakeholders such as importers and exporters for not including their views, suggestions, comments, or feedback on the formulation or amendment of the FTP.While the government “may to the extent possible and if deems reasonable to do so, provide” the reasons for not considering their views, the DGFT said: “Provided nothing…shall oblige or mandate the central
government to disclose reasons for not incorporating views” that has the potential to or adversely affect trade relations with any foreign country, adversely affect food, economic or national security of India, in conflict with any government policies, serve narrow, private or special
interests to the detriment of or contrary to the broader public interest, good or would require the disclosure of confidential or classified information.“Nothing shall confer any legal right whatsoever on any person to seek reasons for his views, comments, opinions or feedback, not being incorporated in the Foreign Trade Policy,” the DGFT said.

As per the notification, the government reserves the right to suo moto formulate, amend or incorporate any specific provisions in the policy, without seeking views, suggestions, comments, or feedback from stakeholders.

Amending a provision of the policy, the DGFT added two paragraphs to introduce trade facilitation measures with an option available to the central government for consultation with relevant stakeholders such as exporters/importers/industry experts to seek their views on best endeavour basis.