About the talk:

• Shri Vivek Johri emphasised that new FTAs are partly neutralising the challenges from tariff escalation and the West Asia conflict. Logistics costs have dropped from 14% to 8%, and infrastructure improvements are visible on the ground (notably around Nhava Sheva port). The key remaining bottleneck is inefficient dispute resolution and poor inter-agency coordination at borders

• Dr Janmejaya Sinha provided historical context on how infrastructure investments and FTAs have become priorities in a way they were not previously, arguing for less discretion and more rules-based systems in trade governance.

• Dr Anup Wadhawan acknowledged progress in improving the business environment but flagged persistent problems: lacklustre growth in segments, joblessness, and falling foreign investment. 

• Ms Parul Vivek argued the focus must shift to eliminating remaining invisible frictions in the trading system, with technology-driven trust building being crucial for India's 2047 ambitions.

• Shri Vijay Singh Chauhan highlighted the significant gap between official metrics (World Bank data showing border clearance down from 37 to 3 days) and ground-level reality where traders still report much longer delays. ICPP's Logistics Cost Index currently under development will provide the rigorous data needed to move from rhetoric to targeted, measurable reform.