Flagship scheme to unify export support under one digital framework; big boost for MSMEs, labour-intensive sectors and first-time exporters
New Delhi, November 12: In a major step to overhaul India’s export support ecosystem, the Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the Export Promotion Mission (EPM) — a flagship initiative aimed at strengthening India’s export competitiveness with a total outlay of ₹25,060 crore for the period 2025–26 to 2030–31.
Chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Cabinet approved the Mission as part of the government’s long-term vision to make Indian exports globally competitive and resilient amid shifting trade dynamics.
The EPM marks a strategic shift from a patchwork of fragmented export schemes to a single, outcome-based and digitally driven framework designed to address both financial and structural bottlenecks faced by exporters, especially MSMEs and labour-intensive industries.
The Mission will operate through two integrated components:
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Niryat Protsahan: Focused on improving access to affordable trade finance, especially for MSMEs, through mechanisms such as interest subvention, export factoring, credit enhancement, collateral guarantees, and export credit cards.
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Niryat Disha: Geared towards non-financial enablers, including export quality compliance, brand building, packaging, trade fair participation, warehousing support, logistics reimbursements, and capacity building.
Together, these components will consolidate existing export schemes such as the Interest Equalisation Scheme (IES) and Market Access Initiative (MAI) into a unified mission aligned with current trade realities.
The EPM is designed to directly target long-standing challenges confronting Indian exporters, such as:
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Limited and costly trade finance access for small exporters
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High compliance costs for meeting international quality standards
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Poor global branding and fragmented market access
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Logistical disadvantages for exporters located in interior or low-export-intensity regions
By integrating financial, infrastructural, and promotional support, the Mission aims to lower transaction costs, improve efficiency, and expand India’s export footprint in traditional and emerging markets.
The Mission will give special priority to sectors hit by recent global tariff hikes — including textiles, leather, gems and jewellery, engineering goods, and marine products — helping these industries retain export orders, safeguard jobs, and diversify into new markets.
The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) will serve as the implementing agency, managing the entire application-to-disbursal process through a dedicated digital platform integrated with India’s existing trade systems.
For exporters and export-oriented industries, the EPM represents a transformational shift toward a more predictable, responsive, and digitally connected support ecosystem.
Key benefits include:
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Easier access to export finance: Lower interest rates, faster credit flow, and credit cards for small and e-commerce exporters.
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Improved market readiness: Support for compliance, certification, packaging, and brand visibility in global markets.
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New opportunities for MSMEs: Assistance for participation in trade fairs, warehousing, and access to real-time trade intelligence.
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Boost for hinterland exports: Incentives for non-traditional export districts and smaller clusters to join global value chains.
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Employment generation: Increased output in manufacturing, logistics, packaging, and allied export services.
Trade experts say the Mission could significantly enhance India’s export competitiveness and resilience amid global supply chain realignments, provided implementation is efficient and industry feedback is integrated.
“This is the first time India is merging finance and facilitation under one export strategy,” said a Delhi-based trade analyst. “It could particularly help smaller exporters who struggle with credit and compliance barriers.”
