New Delhi: Maharashtra has emerged as the most export-ready large State in the country, followed by Tamil Nadu and Gujarat, according to NITI Aayog’s Export Preparedness Index (EPI) 2024, released on Tuesday. The rankings highlight widening disparities in export competitiveness across States, even as subnational preparedness becomes central to India’s global trade strategy.
The EPI 2024, now in its fourth edition, assesses the export readiness of States and Union Territories across four pillars—export infrastructure, business ecosystem, policy and governance, and export performance—using 70 indicators. The framework is aligned with India’s goal of achieving $1 trillion in merchandise exports by 2030 and the broader Viksit Bharat @2047 vision.
Among large States, Maharashtra topped the index, followed by Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh. In the category of small States, North Eastern States and UTs, Uttarakhand ranked first, ahead of Jammu and Kashmir, Nagaland, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, and Goa.
Releasing the report, NITI Aayog CEO said India’s export trajectory is increasingly shaped by the preparedness of States and districts, stressing the need to strengthen trade and logistics infrastructure, improve cost competitiveness and build robust institutions. The index places greater emphasis on districts as the core units of export competitiveness, linking national export goals with local industrial clusters and value chains.
The 2024 edition expands its analytical scope by incorporating new dimensions such as macroeconomic stability, human capital, access to finance and the MSME ecosystem, reflecting the role of small businesses in export growth. States and UTs have been classified as Leaders, Challengers and Aspirers, enabling peer learning and targeted policy interventions.