Districts as Export Hubs Initiative

Districts as Export Hubs Initiative Latest News

The Districts as Export Hubs initiative marks a shift in India’s export strategy from concentrating growth in a few industrial centres to unlocking the potential of every district.

About Districts as Export Hubs Initiative

• It is aimed at identifying products and services with global potential and connecting local producers with international markets.
• It is an initiative of the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, Department of Commerce.
• Under this initiative, the export promotion activities are being decentralised to make the districts active stakeholders in boosting export growth of the identified products and services from the districts.

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Institutional Architecture for Districts as Export Hubs Initiative

• DEH runs on a layered system of coordination between the Centre, States and districts.
• The Department of Commerce provides overall policy direction, while the DGFT anchors implementation, facilitates stakeholder coordination and monitors progress.
  • At the State level, State Export Promotion Committees (SEPCs) guide implementation and ensure convergence across departments.
  • At the district level, District Export Promotion Committees (DEPCs), identify export opportunities, resolve local challenges and coordinate with industry, exporters and other stakeholders.
  • A key responsibility of the DEPCs is preparing District Export Action Plans (DEAPs). These plans map products and services with export potential, assess infrastructure and logistics, identify export bottlenecks.
• Coverage: The initiative has identified export potential in 734 districts across the country, spanning critical sectors like agriculture, toys, and GI products.
• Focused phase: From 1 June 2026, the initiative adopted a phased, outcome-oriented approach covering districts across 27 States and Union Territories, supported by 24 DGFT regional authorities and 11 partner agencies.

 Source: PIB