IANS | 23 Nov, 2023
Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has launched an
initiative to collaborate with e-commerce giants such as Amazon to
leverage the country’s districts as hubs to promote exports from the
country.
The move is aimed at enabling micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to boost e-commerce exports from the country.
“In
a first such collaboration with different e-commerce platforms, DGFT
has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Amazon India,” the
Commerce Ministry said on Thursday.
As part of this MoU, Amazon
and DGFT will co-create capacity building sessions, training and
workshops for MSMEs in districts identified by the DGFT as part of the
District Exports Hub initiative outlined in the Foreign Trade Policy
2023. Under the MoU with Amazon India, 20 districts have been identified
for capacity building and handholding sessions, according to the
official statement.
DGFT is in discussion with various e-commerce
platforms like Flipkart/Walmart, E-bay, Rivexa, Shopclues, Shiprocket,
DHL Express, etc. to have similar collaboration in other districts of
the country under the Districts as Export Hubs initiative.
The
initiative seeks to link local producers even in rural and remote
districts with global supply chains. The collaboration aims to enable
exporters/MSMEs to sell their 'Made in India' products to customers
internationally.
The core objective of this collaboration is to
leverage e-commerce platforms to support local exporters, manufacturers,
and MSMEs in reaching potential international buyers. The partnership
aligns with the Foreign Trade Policy 2023, which identifies e-commerce
as a focus area for amplifying India's exports.
Under the
collaboration, districts will be identified by various e-commerce
platforms across India, to undertake various capacity-building and
outreach activities in collaboration with DGFT- Regional Authorities.
These activities will focus on educating MSMEs on e-commerce exports and
enabling them to sell to customers across the world.
In addition,
the capacity building session will allow MSMEs to learn about imaging,
digital cataloguing of their products, tax advisory amongst others. With
this, Indian entrepreneurs can build their e-commerce exports
businesses and global brands.
This will supplement DGFT’s efforts
to hand hold, promote new and first time exporters and other MSME
producers to export from India, thereby
The MoU was signed in the
presence of Santosh Sarangi (Additional Secretary and Director General,
DGFT), Chetan Krishnaswamy (Vice President, Public Policy - Amazon) and
Bhupen Wakankar (Director Global Trade - Amazon India).
