The government on Friday expressed confidence that the export growth this year would stay on the double-digit track.

"The way exports have performed despite hardening of rupee, export growth this year will be in double digit," Commerce and Industry Minister Arun Jaitley said at the inauguration of the India International Trade Fair in New Delhi.

With the recessionary trends in the United States and appreciating rupee, there were apprehensions that export growth could dip, he said, adding that 18 per cent growth last year had proved that all fears were wrong.

While the 'Made in India' brand faced certain challenges, the 'Serviced by India' brand was accepted, he said, adding that exports from manufacturing sector had still performed well and the country can emerge as a manufacturing base globally.

He said that this fiscal the country would be able to achieve seven plus growth rate, with all the macro-economic indicators exhibiting positive signals.

Pointing that tourist inflow had increased this year, he said tourism could act as a big employment generator in the country.

Speaking on the occasion, commerce secretary Dipak Chatterjee said IITF would act as a catalyst for industrial growth and also a platform for international companies to guage the Indian market.