New Delhi, Nov 23 (IANS): 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).