In a significant push to accelerate India’s e-commerce exports, Amazon and the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) have announced an extension of their collaboration, renewing their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to support MSMEs (micro, small, and medium enterprises) in building global businesses.
Building on their Districts as Export Hubs initiative, the renewed partnership aims to equip small businesses with the necessary tools, knowledge, and networks to expand their reach into international markets.
Under the expanded collaboration, Amazon and DGFT will launch several key initiatives to further strengthen India’s ecommerce export ecosystem. These initiatives include specialised capacity-building sessions across 47 districts, providing MSMEs with training on how to successfully navigate ecommerce exports.
Additionally, Export Communities will be established as local offline networks to support businesses in scaling their export operations. Another major step in this collaboration is the integration of Amazon’s Export Navigator tool within DGFT’s Trade Connect portal, which will provide small businesses with a structured roadmap to meet export compliance requirements at every stage of their journey.
The renewed MoU was signed in the presence of Santosh Sarangi (Additional Secretary and Director General of DGFT), Chetan Krishnaswamy (Vice President, Public Policy – Amazon), and Bhupen Wakankar (Director, Global Trade – Amazon India). Speaking on the significance of the collaboration, Santosh Sarangi stated, “Our continued collaboration with Amazon is a significant step in making each district an export hub. Expanding our focus to 47 districts will empower more MSMEs to access global markets, aligning with our goal of enabling $200-300 billion in exports from India by 2030.”
Echoing this sentiment, Bhupen Wakankar, Director, Global Trade at Amazon India, emphasised Amazon’s commitment to simplifying e-commerce exports for small businesses. “We are excited to extend our partnership with DGFT to help MSMEs create global businesses. Our focus remains on making exports simpler and more accessible, contributing to our goal of enabling $80 billion in cumulative e-commerce exports from India by 2030,” he said.
As part of the collaboration, Export Communities will play a crucial role in supporting MSMEs by serving as local networks where exporters—both new and existing—can receive guidance, training, mentorship, and hands-on assistance. These communities will bring together various stakeholders, including government agencies, third-party service providers, manufacturers, and existing exporters, to create a support system that fosters growth and innovation in the e-commerce export sector.
Another key aspect of this initiative is Amazon’s Export Navigator tool, which will be integrated into DGFT’s Trade Connect portal to offer a one-stop solution for exporters. This interactive dashboard will help MSMEs understand and comply with export regulations, covering areas such as taxation, shipping requirements, product certifications, and government incentives.
Initially launched for exports to the US market, the tool will soon expand to cover additional global destinations, further simplifying the export process for Indian businesses.
Since the partnership began in 2023, DGFT and Amazon have organized e-commerce export promotion events across 20 districts, helping over 3,000 MSMEs navigate global markets. With the expansion to 47 districts, the initiative is expected to support thousands more businesses in scaling their exports, diversifying their product offerings, and reaching international customers.
