Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Dec 31: In a move aimed at expanding overseas opportunities for Indian businesses, the government on Wednesday launched the Market Access Support (MAS) intervention under the Export Promotion Mission (EPM), a flagship programme cleared by the Union Cabinet in November.

The MAS initiative is being implemented through the ‘NIRYAT DISHA’ sub-scheme of EPM and is designed to improve international market access for Indian exporters. The Commerce Ministry said the focus will be on micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), first-time exporters, and companies operating in priority sectors.

Under the scheme, exporters will receive structured financial and institutional assistance for a range of activities such as Buyer-Seller Meets (BSMs), participation in global trade fairs and exhibitions, Mega Reverse Buyer-Seller Meets hosted in India, and trade delegations to key and emerging export destinations.

To ensure better planning and sustained market development, the ministry will draw up a forward-looking calendar of major market access events spanning three to five years. This advance approval mechanism is expected to help exporters and organising agencies prepare well in advance and maintain continuity in outreach efforts.

As per official guidelines, at least 35 per cent participation of MSMEs will be mandatory in supported events. Greater emphasis will be placed on new regions and smaller markets to promote export diversification. Trade delegations will generally include a minimum of 50 participants, though flexibility will be allowed depending on strategic importance and market conditions.

The government has also streamlined financial support norms by revising event-level funding limits and cost-sharing arrangements, with added incentives for priority sectors and target markets. To encourage wider participation, small exporters with an export turnover of up to Rs 75 lac in the previous year will be eligible for partial airfare reimbursement.

All processes—from event listings and proposal submissions to approvals, participant registration, fund disbursement and monitoring—will be conducted through the trade.gov.in portal, ensuring transparency and ease of access.

In addition, exporters will be required to submit online feedback after each supported event, covering aspects such as buyer quality, business leads generated and relevance of the market. The ministry said these inputs will be used to continuously refine and institutionalise the MAS guidelines.

Overall, the MAS intervention seeks to strengthen buyer connections and enhance India’s visibility in global markets through a structured, results-driven approach to export promotion.