India’s First Mass Export Development Program concluded with a mission to enable 200,000 First time MSME Exporters

Bengaluru: India SME Forum rolled-out India’s First ever Mass Export Development Program with a Mission to enable 200,000 First time MSME Exporters at its Regional MSME Exports Summit at Welcomhotel by ITC Hotels.

The ambitious initiative was launched by the Union Minister of MSME, Narayan Tatu Rane and Santosh Sarangi, IAS, Director General of Foreign Trade in November 2023, with an objective of orienting 200,000 first time MSME exporters by training and facilitating them in finding the Exports potential for their products, exploring newer exports markets, covering phytosanitary measures, international certifications, quality standards etc. for MSME focused products.

As a part of this initiative, India SME Forum has charted out an outreach route to include and cover as many MSMEs as possible across the length & breadth of the country. As a part of which it endeavours to conduct roadshows between Jan-March, covering regional metro cities and industry clusters with sectoral exports potential, with a focus of import substitution, to enable maximum exposure and awareness for the initiative among the MSME fraternity. UPS and ICICI Bank are associated with the initiative to offer subject matter expertise and handholding to MSMEs for Logistics & trade finance related matters.

The Bangalore Regional Summit featured special talks by Experts on Evaluating Exports potential of sectoral and MSME products as well as Leveraging Free Trade Agreements for Export Success thereby offering insights to MSMEs on the potential of specific HSN codes garnering a tangible impact by ground connect and mentoring of aspiring Exporters. The objective clearly being Navigate the International Market Landscape for MSMEs and carve a successful roadmap for MSME Exports.

The Summit saw some distinguished speakers including industry experts, and government officials who shared their knowledge and insights on the above challenges related to MSME exports. The Summit also provided a platform for networking and collaboration among participants, fostering partnerships and business opportunities. Over 200+ MSMEs and Aspiring Exporters attended the Bengaluru Regional MSME Exports Summit.

The President, India SME Forum, Vinod Kumar said, “In our pursuit to elevate India's export capabilities, the launch of ‘IndiaXports – India’s First Mass Exports Development Program’, marks a transformative milestone in empowering MSMEs. This no-cost initiative reaffirms our dedication to nurturing export capabilities and enhancing entrepreneurial capacities. We are resolute in our mission to propel MSMEs onto the global stage, creating a landscape of opportunities and driving economic prosperity through strategic initiatives and collective efforts.”

He further added that, “The lack of exposure to global markets inhibits entrepreneurs from exploring international opportunities.’IndiaXports aims to change this paradigm, encouraging MSMEs to broaden their horizons and participate in the global marketplace.”