Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Som Parkash says, despite global slowdown on account of Covid 19, the country's merchandise exports showed an increasing trend.

He was inaugurating online the Vanijya Utsav- "India as the Rising Economic Force: Focus- Kerala", organised as part of the Azadi Ka Amirt Mahotsav programme in Kochi today.

He said the total merchandise exports last month was US $ 33.14 billion as against US $ 22.89 billion in August last year.

The Minister observed that the Commerce Ministry has been taking various steps to facilitate agricultural exports and initiatives have been taken to achieve merchandise exports of US $ 400 billion in the current fiscal.

Addressing the function, Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan said through far sighted policy initiatives, facilitiative interventions and strong diplomatic ties, India is reinforcing its position in the global trade and commerce landscape.