The title slide, titled "Ease of Doing Business (EoDB)" and marked as a title type, highlights the core theme of "Enhancing Efficiency, Transparency & Growth." Its subtitle specifies that these improvements target professionals, learners, and trade participants.

Enhancing Efficiency, Transparency & Growth

For Professionals, Learners, and Trade Participants},

The "Global Perspective" slide introduces the Ease of Doing Business index as a key measure of global competitiveness, focusing on how easily businesses can start, operate, and expand. It highlights India's ongoing reforms, which prioritize digitization and simplification to improve its standing.

Global Perspective

• Ease of Doing Business: global competitiveness measure.
• Highlights ease in starting, operating, expanding businesses.
• India's reforms emphasize digitization and simplification.

Source: Ease of Doing Business: Enhancing Trade Efficiency, Transparency & Growth

Ease of doing business is crucial because it encourages investment, fosters economic innovation, and reduces transaction costs while simplifying compliance. It also builds trust and strengthens partnerships between governments and businesses.

Why Ease of Doing Business Matters

• Encourages investment and fosters innovation in the economy.
• Reduces transaction costs and simplifies compliance requirements.
• Builds trust and strengthens partnerships between government and businesses.

The slide on Core Areas of Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) in Customs outlines key strategies to streamline operations, including simplified procedures that reduce administrative burdens and end-to-end automation for seamless processing. It also emphasizes transparent communication to build stakeholder trust, risk-based inspections to minimize delays, and efficient trade facilitation to drive economic growth.

Core Areas of EoDB in Customs

• Simplified procedures to reduce administrative burdens
• End-to-end automation for seamless processing
• Transparent communication enhancing stakeholder trust
• Risk-based inspections minimizing delays
• Efficient trade facilitation boosting economic growth

The timeline slide outlines the evolution of India's customs processes from manual to digital systems, starting with the 1994 introduction of Electronic Data Interchange for faster electronic submissions. Key milestones include the 2002 launch of the ICEGATE portal, 2011 Risk Management System for efficient clearances, 2016 SWIFT payment integration, and the 2020 rollout of faceless assessments using AI for enhanced transparency.

The Evolution of Customs in India

1994: Introduction of Electronic Data Interchange Customs begins transitioning from manual paperwork to electronic data submission for faster processing. 2002: Launch of ICEGATE Portal Online platform enables electronic filing, marking a key step in digital customs operations. 2011: Implementation of Risk Management System RMS introduced to expedite clearance for low-risk shipments, enhancing efficiency and coordination. 2016: SWIFT Integration for Payments Electronic fund transfers via SWIFT streamline financial transactions among trade stakeholders. 2020: Faceless Assessment Rollout AI and digital tools enable remote assessments, boosting transparency and stakeholder collaboration.

The slide outlines key reforms aimed at enhancing Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) in trade and customs processes. These include the National Single Window System for seamless agency integration, Risk Management System for targeted inspections, Direct Port Delivery and Entry for faster clearance, faceless technology-driven assessments, and e-seals with paperless documentation for secure digital facilitation.

Key Reforms Driving EoDB

• National Single Window System: Integrates agencies for seamless trade processing.
• Risk Management System (RMS): Targets high-risk shipments for efficient inspections.
• Direct Port Delivery (DPD) & Entry (DPE): Speeds up goods clearance without delays.
• Faceless Assessment: Ensures impartial, technology-driven customs evaluations.
• E-seals and Paperless Documentation: Enables secure, digital trade facilitation.

Technology serves as a game changer in customs by leveraging automation and AI to streamline clearance processes. Additionally, data analytics support predictive risk management, while real-time tracking tools boost transparency and efficiency.

Technology as a Game Changer

• Automation and AI streamline customs clearance processes.
• Data analytics enable predictive risk management.
• Real-time tracking tools enhance transparency and efficiency.

Customs reforms have led to a 60% reduction in clearance times through streamlined import/export processes and a 35% decrease in compliance costs, easing the burden on businesses. Additionally, these changes have boosted trade competitiveness by 25% for better global positioning and increased investor confidence by 70% via improved trust in the reforms.

Impact of Customs Reforms

• 60%: Reduction in Clearance Time

Streamlined import/export processes

• 35%: Decrease in Compliance Costs

Lower burden on businesses

• 25%: Boost in Trade Competitiveness

Enhanced global positioning

• 70%: Rise in Investor Confidence

Improved trust in reforms

The slide on GST and Ease of Doing Business highlights a unified tax structure under the "One Nation, One Tax" principle, which eliminates cascading taxes to enhance cost efficiency. It also streamlines logistics, provides Input Tax Credit benefits, and reduces the overall compliance burden on businesses.

GST and Ease of Doing Business

• Unified tax structure: One Nation, One Tax
• Eliminates cascading taxes for cost efficiency
• Streamlines logistics and Input Tax Credit benefits
• Reduces compliance burden on businesses

The GST Digital Transformation slide highlights a shift to fully online processes for registration and return filing, alongside mandatory e-invoicing and electronic waybills to streamline operations. It also emphasizes accelerated refunds through seamless reconciliation and improved tax transparency for all stakeholders.

GST – Digital Transformation

• Fully online registration and return filing processes.
• Mandatory e-invoicing and electronic way bills.
• Accelerated refunds with seamless reconciliation.
• Enhanced tax transparency for all stakeholders.

Before reforms, logistics in the case study suffered from long turnaround times that caused delays and higher costs, while manufacturing faced complex input credit processes leading to cash flow issues and inefficiencies. After reforms, logistics achieved a 20% reduction in turnaround time for greater efficiency, and manufacturing benefited from streamlined input credits that enabled faster reconciliations and better financial health.

Case Study Highlights

Public-private partnerships are essential for driving innovation in trade processes, as highlighted on the slide. The Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) scheme fosters trusted trader networks, while industry participation plays a key role in shaping effective policy design and implementation.

Collaboration & Private Sector Role

• Public-private partnerships drive innovation in trade processes.
• Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) scheme builds trusted trader networks.
• Industry participation shapes effective policy design and implementation.

The slide outlines key challenges and opportunities in trade systems, emphasizing the need to enhance digital literacy for stakeholders and users while strengthening cybersecurity. It also highlights advancing border management modernization, fostering innovation for emerging issues, and promoting collaboration to drive sustainable trade growth.

Challenges & Opportunities Ahead

• Enhance digital literacy for stakeholders and users.
• Strengthen cybersecurity in evolving trade systems.
• Advance modernization of border management processes.
• Foster innovation to address emerging challenges.
• Promote collaboration for sustainable trade growth.

India ranks in the top 10 for global reforms, leading the way among reforming nations. The country has achieved a +20 point improvement in trade facilitation per World Bank indicators, aiming for a top 25 target ranking in the next Ease of Doing Business report.

Global Benchmarking

• Top 10: Reforming Nations

India leads in global reforms

• +20 Points: Trade Facilitation Improvement

World Bank indicators progress

• Top 25: Target Ranking

Next global EoDB report goal Source: World Bank EoDB Report

Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) is defined as the integration of simplification, transparency, and technology, with continuous improvement driving competitiveness. India's EoDB progress inspires a smarter trade future, emphasizing empowerment through innovation and a call to adopt best practices for thriving in global trade.

Conclusion

EoDB = Simplification + Transparency + Technology.

Continuous improvement ensures competitiveness.

India’s EoDB journey inspires a smarter trade future.

Closing Message: Empowering growth through innovation.

Call-to-Action: Adopt EoDB best practices to thrive in global trade.

Source: Ease of Doing Business: Enhancing Trade Efficiency, Transparency & Growth