The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, has expanded the eligibility criteria for its 'Source from India' service on the Trade Connect ePlatform through Trade Notice no. 16 dated August 06, 2026. The initiative now includes DPIIT-recognized startups, allowing them to create dedicated digital microsites on the government's official buyer discovery platform.
Eligible startups will receive a unique 'Start-Up Badge' to enhance their discoverability by international buyers. A special provision allows DPIIT-recognized startups with an active Import Export Code (IEC) not in the Denied Entity List (DEL) to onboard even without meeting standard export performance criteria, subject to verification through DGFT's IEC database.
The expansion aims to promote innovation-led exports, provide greater international visibility to India's startup ecosystem, support export diversification, and reinforce India's position as a global hub for innovation and entrepreneurship. Existing startup users on Trade Connect with eligible IECs will automatically gain access to create their microsites from their dashboard.
Trade Connect serves as a one-stop digital interface connecting Indian exporters with trade-related services and institutional support, with 'Source from India' being its flagship feature for international buyer discovery and direct business connections.