The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, has expanded access to the “Source from India” facility on the Trade Connect ePlatform to facilitate greater participation of DPIIT-recognised Start-ups. The initiative is aimed at providing Indian start-ups enhanced visibility before international buyers and supporting their integration with global markets. The measure has been announced through Trade Notice No. 16/2026-27 dated 6 August 2026.
The Trade Connect ePlatform has been developed as a one-stop digital interface to strengthen institutional support for Indian exporters. One of its flagship features, “Source from India”, functions as a reference and buyer-discovery platform through which international buyers can identify Indian exporters and suppliers. Exporters can create their own microsites on the platform to showcase their products, services and credentials to potential overseas buyers.
Earlier, under Trade Notice No. 15/2025-26, “Source from India” was made available to valid Importer Exporter Code (IEC) holders not included in the Denied Entity List (DEL) and having a minimum export realisation of USD 100,000 in at least one of the preceding three financial years at the time of application. The DGFT’s electronic Bank Realisation Certificate (eBRC) database serves as the sole reference point for determining export realisation, based on aggregate eBRC value available for a financial year.
With a view to facilitating start-up exporters in establishing their profiles on the “Source from India” facility, DGFT has now amended the eligibility framework. DPIIT-recognised Start-ups meeting the prescribed eligibility conditions can register on the platform and will be identified through a unique “Start-up” badge mapped to their profiles. Their onboarding will be undertaken after verification of their export activity through the DGFT IEC database.
Significantly, Trade Notice No. 16/2026-27 also provides a special exception for DPIIT-recognised Start-ups. Such start-ups may register on the “Source from India” platform even if they do not fulfil the prescribed export-realisation eligibility criterion, provided they hold an active IEC and are not included in the DEL. The relaxation is expected to enable emerging and innovation-driven enterprises to gain early access to an official global buyer-discovery platform.
The measure assumes importance as DPIIT-recognised Start-ups are increasingly contributing innovative and high-quality products and services to international markets. Greater visibility through the Trade Connect ePlatform is expected to support their export growth, expand and diversify India’s export basket, and further strengthen the country’s position as a hub for innovation-led exports.
Start-up users already registered on the Trade Connect ePlatform, whose profiles are linked to eligible IECs or IECs covered under the special exception, will automatically be provided the option to create a “Source from India” microsite on their dashboard. Applicants are required to log in using the email address linked to the relevant IEC, select the option for creation of the “Source from India” profile, furnish details of export achievements and other required declarations, and submit the profile for approval. Once approved, the profile will become publicly visible on the “Source from India” section of the Trade Connect ePlatform. The detailed registration process is provided in the Annexure to the Trade Notice.
The Trade Notice further states that users already registered on the DGFT platform may use the same credentials for the Trade Connect ePlatform, eliminating the need for re-registration. The user account must, however, be linked with a valid and eligible IEC for accessing the facility.
To enhance international outreach, Indian Missions Abroad have also been sensitised to use “Source from India” as a reference point while addressing sourcing requirements received from foreign buyers and to assist in identifying suitable Indian suppliers for various products.
The DGFT has further requested Export Promotion Councils, Commodity Boards and industry associations to give wide publicity to the provisions of Trade Notice No. 16/2026-27 and encourage participation of all eligible members, particularly DPIIT-recognised Start-ups.
The initiative is expected to provide Indian start-ups with a stronger digital pathway to global buyers while leveraging the Government’s Trade Connect infrastructure to promote export competitiveness, innovation and wider participation of emerging enterprises in international trade.
The Trade Notice can be accessed at: https://a2ztaxcorp.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Trade-Notice-16.pdf
