Export Preparedness Index 2024: The NITI Aayog on Wednesday released the fourth edition of the Export Preparedness Index (EPI) 2024, offering a comprehensive assessment of export readiness across India’s
states and Union Territories and underlining the growing role of subnational economies in shaping the country’s global trade performance.
Among large states, Maharashtra emerged as the top performer, followed by Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh. In the category of small states, North Eastern states and Union Territories, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Nagaland, Dadra and Nagar Haveli & Daman and Diu, and Goa were identified as leading performers.
NITI Aayog noted that the data used in the index is drawn from official sources, including central ministries, state governments and public institutions, and follows a transparent, indicator-based methodology. The data is provisional and may be revised as more information becomes available.
With its sharper focus on districts, MSMEs and institutional capacity, the Export Preparedness Index 2024 is expected to serve as a key policy tool for states seeking to scale up exports and align local development strategies with India’s long-term trade ambitions.
Four-pillar framework with sharper analytical depth
The Export Preparedness Index 2024 is structured around four pillars — Export Infrastructure, Business Ecosystem, Policy and Governance, and Export Performance — further broken down into 13 sub-pillars and 70 indicators. This allows for a granular and policy-relevant evaluation of export readiness.
Compared with previous editions, the 2024 index strengthens analytical depth by incorporating new dimensions such as macroeconomic stability, cost competitiveness, human capital, access to finance and the MSME ecosystem, while refining existing indicators to enhance precision and comparability.
The Business Ecosystem pillar carries the highest weightage at 40%, followed by Export Infrastructure, Policy and Governance, and Export Performance at 20% each, reflecting the relative contribution of these factors to export competitiveness.
States classified as leaders, challengers and aspirers
For comparative assessment and peer learning, states and Union Territories have been grouped into Large States, Small States, North Eastern States and Union Territories. Within each category, they are classified as Leaders, Challengers and Aspirers based on their level of export preparedness.
A notable feature of the 2024 edition is the heightened focus on districts as the core units of export competitiveness. The index seeks to translate national export objectives into actionable, place-based strategies anchored in local capabilities, industrial clusters and value-chain linkages.
First introduced in August 2020, the Export Preparedness Index has emerged as a key evidence-based framework to evaluate the strength, resilience and inclusiveness of export ecosystems at the state and district levels. The latest edition aligns with India’s target of achieving $1 trillion in merchandise exports by 2030 and the long-term vision of Viksit Bharat @2047.
Releasing the index, NITI Aayog said India’s export trajectory is increasingly being driven by how well-prepared states and districts are in terms of infrastructure, institutions and policy support. The index identifies structural challenges, growth levers and policy opportunities to enhance export competitiveness, particularly at the grassroots level.
At the launch, NITI Aayog’s CEO emphasised the need to strengthen export infrastructure, improve cost competitiveness, build robust institutions and foster predictable and transparent policy environments. Enhancing export preparedness at the subnational level, the CEO said, is critical for sustaining long-term growth, generating employment, reducing regional disparities and deepening India’s integration into global value chains amid heightened global volatility.
Member Arvind Virmani highlighted the responsibility of states and Union Territories in sustaining and amplifying export momentum by identifying their strengths, addressing structural gaps and designing targeted strategies to tap emerging trade opportunities. He also reiterated the Prime Minister’s emphasis on product quality as a key pillar of global competitiveness.
