The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the Export Promotion Mission (EPM), a flagship initiative announced in the Union Budget 2025-26 to strengthen India’s export competitiveness, particularly for MSMEs, first-time exporters, and labour-intensive sectors.The Mission aims at a comprehensive, flexible, and digitally driven framework for export promotion, with a total outlay of ₹25,060 crores for FY2025–26 to FY2030–31. The government has described the initiative as a strategic shift from multiple fragmented schemes to a single, outcome-based, and adaptive mechanism that can respond swiftly to global trade challenges and evolving exporter needs.The scheme is part of a collaborative framework between the Department of Commerce, Ministry of MSME, Ministry of Finance, and other stakeholders including Financial Institutions, Export Promotion Councils, Commodity Boards, industry associations, and state governments.
The announcement has confirmed CNBC-TV18’s newsbreak from August 2025, which had indicated details about the then-proposed scheme. Answering a question on whether the government had considered the India-US BTA talks before approving the export package, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that all factors were taken into account.The Mission will operate through two integrated sub-schemes:NIRYAT PROTSAHAN: Focuses on improving access to affordable trade finance for MSMEs through a range of instruments such as interest subvention, export factoring, collateral guarantees, credit cards for e-commerce exporters, and credit enhancement support for diversification into new markets.NIRYAT DISHA: Focuses on non-financial enablers that enhance market readiness and competitiveness, including export quality and compliance support, assistance for international branding, packaging, and participation in trade fairs, export warehousing and logistics, inland transport reimbursements, and trade intelligence and capacity-building initiatives.EPM has consolidated key export support schemes like the Interest Equalisation Scheme (IES) and Market Access Initiative (MAI) by aligning them with contemporary trade needs, and is aimed to directly address structural challenges that constrain Indian exports, including:
Limited and expensive trade finance access,
High cost of compliance with international export standards,
Inadequate export branding and fragmented market access, and
Logistical disadvantages for exporters in interior and low-export-intensity regions.
Priority support will be extended to sectors impacted by recent global tariff escalations, such as textiles, leather, gems & jewellery, engineering goods, and marine products to help sustain export orders, protect jobs, and support diversification into new geographies.The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) will act as the implementing agency, with all processes- from application to disbursal- being managed through a dedicated digital platform integrated with existing trade systems.As per the government, the Mission is expected to:
Facilitate access to affordable trade finance for MSMEs
Enhance export readiness through compliance and certification support
Improve market access and visibility for Indian products
Boost exports from non-traditional districts and sectors
Generate employment across manufacturing, logistics, and allied services
