New Delhi, Feb. 1 -- Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced significant trade policy reforms during her Union Budget 2025 presentation, introducing measures to increase exports across handicrafts, leather, marine products, and railway maintenance sectors.

The comprehensive package aims to enhance India's global competitiveness and strengthen domestic value addition capabilities.

In a notable development for the handicraft industry, the government has extended the export time period from six months to one year, with an additional three-month extension available if necessary.

The sector will also benefit from duty exemptions on nine newly added input materials, though specific details of these items were not disclosed in the speec...