“ATA CARNET IS A PRECURSOR FOR EXPANDING GLOBAL BUSINESS”
– Pranab Kumar Das
Special Secretary & Member (Customs), CBIC
Government of India
According to the Indian Customs, the 4 pillars of Global Trade are – Goods, Services, Money and People. ATA Carnet plays a pivotal role in hassle-free temporary imports thereby, facilitating and promoting international trade. This was stated by Special Secretary & Member (Customs), CBIC Government of India, Mr. Pranab Kumar Das while delivering a keynote address at the Inaugural Ceremony of the World ATA Carnet Council Meeting held at Hotel Jai Mahal Palace. The event is being jointly organized by WATAC, Paris and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) under the aegis of Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC), Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, Government of India.
He further said that the initiatives of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) have resulted in paperless export and import clearances as well as digital customs as a result of which, India has jumped 66 places in trading across borders and 23 places in Ease of Doing Business. Currently recognised in 78 countries globally, ATA Carnet has various advantages – eliminates customs documentation; removes the need for payment of duties and expeditious clearance of goods culminating to reduced transaction time and cost.
Principal Additional Director General, Directorate General of Analytics and Risk Management (DGARM), CBIC, Government of India, Mr. Sandeep Kumar said that in the past few years there have been various innovations in Carnet such as backing up Carnet instruments with insurance policies, adoption of Carnet for various sectors such as press, TV & media, sporting events, film shootings as well as professional equipment. It has benefitted the international as well the Indian business community hugely.
Additional Chief Secretary – Industries & CMD, RIICO Ltd., Government of Rajasthan, Mr. Rajeeva Swarup said that Rajasthan has experienced an exponential growth in local manufacturing and there has been a rapid improvement in the regulatory environment of business operations. The share of industries in the State’s economy today stands at 27% registering an overall growth of 9% in the last 5 years. Rajasthan is also in the top achievers of the country with regard to Ease of Doing Business. In fact, it was the first in India to launch the Single Window Clearance System in 2011. Exports of goods and services from Rajasthan have grown substantially in recent years increasing from 36,000 Crores in 2015- 2016 to 46,500 Crores in 2017-2018.
Chair, World ATA Carnet Council, ICC, Paris, Mr. Ruedi Bolliger said that it is indeed remarkable that the World ATA Carnet Council Meeting is being held for the second time in India in the last 7 years. He further said that there has been significant progress in making Carnet more accessible to the small and medium enterprises as well as the extension of scope of application in India.
Deputy Chair, World ATA Carnet Council, ICC, Paris, Mr. Henk Wit said that adoption of ATA Carnet needs to be extended from the current number of 78 to 128 countries under the UN.
Consultant, Asian Development Bank, New Delhi, Mr. Satish Kumar Reddy said that ATA Carnet addresses a strong need in the realm of international business. Display of goods is the starting point for trade and commerce.
Earlier in his Welcome Address, Deputy Secretary General, FICCI, Mr. Nirankar Saxena said that India will be in the top 3 leading economies of the world in the next few years as per the World Bank. The ATA Carnet has been accepted by the Government of India as one of the services of Ease of Doing Business. He urged the Government officials to propagate ATA and create awareness using Government channels. Highlighting the achievements of FICCI, he said that the organisation has been able to maximise its reach to the medium and small companies across the country.
On the occasion a coffee table book – ‘Ease of Doing Business: ATA & UN TIR Carnet’ was also released by the dignitaries.
Co-Chair, FICCI Rajasthan State Council, Mr. Randhir Vikram Singh delivered the Vote of Thanks.