New Delhi: To simplify documentation requirements for exporters trading in West Asia and North Africa (WANA), the government has empowered the India-Arab Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (IACCIA) to issue non-preferential certificates of origin under a government order.
This decision is aimed at ease of doing business, especially for small and medium-sized exporters who often face problems securing certificates during peak export cycles.
The move comes amid India’s expanding trade ties with Arab countries. India has signed Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with the United Arab Emirates and Oman and is in the process of initiating negotiations for a free trade agreement with Qatar.
Certificates of origin are mandatory commercial documents used by importing countries to verify the origin of goods, even when preferential tariff benefits do not apply. Such certificates are commonly required by customs authorities in West Asia and North Africa for regulatory compliance, anti-dumping controls and trade statistics, so their timely issuance is essential for exporters to avoid delivery delays.
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IACCIA is supported by India’s Ministry of External Affairs and Ministry of Commerce and Industry, as well as the League of Arab States, the Union of Arab Chambers and the Council of Arab Ambassadors in New Delhi.
The Chamber facilitates trade delegations, buyer-seller meetings and trade promotion activities, and its inclusion as an authorized issuing body is expected to provide exporters with a more specialized and regionally focused certification option.
“This decision can help simplify business for exporters, especially SMEs, who often face hurdles in securing certificates during peak export cycles,” said Vinod Kumar, president of the India SME Forum.
The WANA region includes 19 countries, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Iraq, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Sudan, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Syria, Jordan, Israel, Lebanon, Yemen, Libya and South Sudan.
“Mandating the agency to issue certificates of origin will help reduce procedural hurdles for exporters, especially those trading with West Asia and North Africa, where such documentation is routinely required,” said Arun Kumar Garodia, former chairman of the Engineering Export Promotion Council.
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WANA remains one of India’s largest trading regions, driven by energy imports as well as growing exports of non-oil products. In FY25, India’s merchandise exports to key WANA markets exceeded $64 billion, while total bilateral trade with the region exceeded $216 billion, Commerce Department data showed.
The region’s top export destination continues to be the UAE, where India’s exports rose to $36.64 billion in FY25, up from $35.63 billion in FY24. The UAE remains India’s most important trading partner in West Asia, and bilateral trade has gained further momentum following the implementation of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).
Exports to Saudi Arabia totaled $11.76 billion in FY25, more or less stable compared to the previous year, while supplies to Iraq were valued at $3.27 billion. India’s exports to Kuwait fell to $1.93 billion and those to Bahrain to $0.80 billion during the year.
Among India’s FTA partners in the region, exports to Oman stood at $4.07 billion in FY25, even as imports from Oman rose sharply, reflecting strong energy inflows.
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Exports to Qatar, where India has begun negotiations for a free trade agreement, were valued at $1.68 billion in FY25, roughly flat year-on-year. Exports to Egypt were $3.41 billion, while shipments to Sudan fell to $0.59 billion due to the country’s ongoing economic and political problems.
In an order, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade said it has added the India-Arab Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture to the official list of agencies authorized to issue certificates of origin with immediate effect.
