NITI Aayog Releases Export Preparedness Index (EPI) 2024

1. At a Glance

• EPI 2024 is NITI Aayog's 4th edition subnational ranking of States/UTs on export readiness, released 14 January 2026 [S1][S2].
• Built on 4 pillars, 13 sub-pillars, 70 indicators; aligned to USD 1 trillion merchandise exports by 2030 and Viksit Bharat @2047 [S1][S3].
• Relevant for GS-III (economy, trade) and GS-II (cooperative federalism, NITI Aayog).

2. Why in the News

• NITI Aayog released EPI 2024 on 14 January 2026 [S1].
• Maharashtra topped overall; Uttar Pradesh ranked 4th overall and 1st among landlocked States [S1][S4].

3. Background & Evolution

• First edition: August 2020; subsequent editions 2021, 2022, 2024 — current is the 4th edition [S1].
• Conceived by NITI Aayog with the Institute of Competitiveness to map subnational export ecosystems [S1].
• Successor framing to earlier State-level Export Promotion Committees under DGFT's Districts as Export Hubs (DEH) initiative [S1].

4. Core Static Facts

• Releasing body: NITI Aayog (Government of India think tank, est. 1 January 2015, replaced Planning Commission) [S1].
• Pillars (weightage):
• Business Ecosystem — 40%
• Export Infrastructure — 20%
• Policy & Governance — 20%
• Export Performance — 20% [S2].
• Structure: 4 pillars → 13 sub-pillars → 70 indicators [S1][S2].
• State categories: Large States, Small States, North-East States, Union Territories; sub-tiers Leaders / Challengers / Aspirers [S1][S2].
• National aspiration anchored to: USD 1 trillion merchandise exports by 2030; Viksit Bharat @2047 [S1].
• Rankings (Overall / Large States): 1. Maharashtra 2. Tamil Nadu 3. Gujarat 4. Uttar Pradesh 5. Andhra Pradesh [S2][S4].
• Small States / Hill & UT cluster Leaders: Uttarakhand, Jammu & Kashmir, Nagaland, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, Goa, Tripura [S2].
• Landlocked States: Uttar Pradesh at No. 1 [S4].

5. Multi-Dimensional Analysis

Economic - Provides an evidence-based diagnostic of subnational export competitiveness — identifies structural gaps in logistics, credit, R&D, trade facilitation [S1]. - Directly supports the USD 1 trillion goods-export target by 2030 by surfacing district-level bottlenecks [S1].

Administrative / Federal - Reinforces competitive & cooperative federalism — a core NITI Aayog mandate; ranks States to spur peer learning [S1]. - Tiering (Leaders/Challengers/Aspirers) mirrors Aspirational Districts Programme logic [S1].

Geopolitical / Strategic - Resilience metrics respond to post-COVID supply chain shocks and Red Sea / global trade volatility; pushes diversification of export baskets and markets [S1].

Governance - Indicators on Policy & Governance evaluate State Export Promotion Strategies, District Export Action Plans (DEAPs) and institutional architecture [S1].

6. Recent Developments (last 12-18 months)

• 14 January 2026: EPI 2024 released by NITI Aayog [S1][S3].
• 2026 release marks first edition since the 2022 edition (published 2023) [S1].
• Aligned with rollout of Foreign Trade Policy 2023 and Districts as Export Hubs scaling under DGFT (contextual) [S1].

7. Prelims Hooks

• EPI is published by NITI Aayog (not Ministry of Commerce or DGFT) [S1].
• 4th edition; first edition launched in August 2020 [S1].
• Built on 4 pillars, 13 sub-pillars, 70 indicators [S1][S2].
• Business Ecosystem pillar carries 40% weight, the highest [S2].
• Other three pillars carry 20% each [S2].
• Maharashtra ranked No. 1 overall in EPI 2024 [S2].
• Tamil Nadu (2nd) and Gujarat (3rd) among large States [S2].
• Uttar Pradesh = 4th overall, 1st among landlocked States [S4].
• Uttarakhand topped the Small/Hill States category; J&K second [S2].
• States grouped as Large, Small, North-East, UT; sub-tiered as Leaders / Challengers / Aspirers [S2].
• Index anchored to USD 1 trillion merchandise export target by 2030 and Viksit Bharat @2047 [S1].
• Prepared with the Institute of Competitiveness as knowledge partner [S1].
• NITI Aayog established on 1 January 2015 by Union Cabinet resolution (not by an Act of Parliament) [S1].

8. Mains Relevance

• GS-III — Indian Economy: growth, development, employment; effects of liberalisation on the economy; mobilisation of resources.
• GS-II — Government policies and interventions; NITI Aayog as an institution.
• Probable question stems: 1. "Subnational competitiveness is the new frontier of India's USD 1 trillion export ambition." Examine in light of NITI Aayog's EPI 2024. 2. Critically assess whether ranking indices like EPI promote cooperative federalism or merely reproduce structural advantages of coastal States. 3. Identify the structural bottlenecks faced by landlocked States in export competitiveness, with reference to EPI 2024.

9. Related Topics to Study Next

• Foreign Trade Policy 2023 — operating framework EPI maps to.
• Districts as Export Hubs (DEH) / DEAPs — DGFT initiative for district-level export planning.
• PM GatiShakti & National Logistics Policy 2022 — infrastructure pillar linkage.
• LEADS Index (Logistics Ease Across Different States) — complementary State-level logistics ranking.
• State Business Reform Action Plan (BRAP) — DPIIT counterpart on ease of doing business.
• PLI Schemes — supply-side push that EPI's Business Ecosystem captures.
• NITI Aayog Aspirational Districts Programme — same Leaders/Aspirers methodology.
• WTO trade facilitation commitments — external benchmarking context.

10. Common Errors / Trap Areas

• EPI is by NITI Aayog, not Ministry of Commerce & Industry / DGFT — frequent confusion.
• EPI is not the same as the LEADS Index (LEADS is by Ministry of Commerce on logistics).
• First edition is 2020, not 2018 or 2019; 2024 is the 4th edition, not 5th (no 2023 edition).
• Business Ecosystem (40%), not Export Performance, carries the highest weight.
• NITI Aayog is a Cabinet resolution body, not a statutory or constitutional body — avoid citing any Act.
• Among landlocked States, UP tops — do not assume Haryana/Telangana.

11. Sources

• [S1] NITI Aayog Releases Export Preparedness Index (EPI) 2024 — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2214514 — (tier: 1)
• [S2] Export Preparedness Index 2024 landing page, NITI Aayog — https://niti.gov.in/whats-new/export-preparedness-index-2024 — (tier: 1)
• [S3] NITI Aayog releases Export Preparedness Index 2024 — DD News (Prasar Bharati) — https://www.newsonair.gov.in/niti-aayog-releases-export-preparedness-index-2024-presenting-state-and-ut-export-readiness/ — (tier: 1)
• [S4] EPI 2024 PDF, NITI Aayog — https://niti.gov.in/sites/default/files/2026-01/Export_Preparedness_Index_2024.pdf — (tier: 1)