The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Department of Commerce, has expanded the eligibility criteria for the "Source from India" service on the Trade Connect ePlatform to include eligible DPIIT-recognised Start-ups through Trade Notice no. 16 dated August 06, 2026. This initiative aims to provide greater international visibility to India's growing start-up ecosystem by enabling innovative exporters to showcase their products and capabilities on the Government's official digital buyer discovery platform.
Under the revised framework effective from August 06, 2026, DPIIT-recognised Start-ups meeting existing eligibility criteria will be able to create dedicated digital microsites on the platform and will be identified through a unique Start-up Badge for enhanced discoverability by overseas buyers. A special onboarding provision has been introduced for early-stage exporters where DPIIT-recognised Start-ups possessing an active Import Export Code (IEC) not in the Denied Entity List (DEL) will be eligible to create profiles even without meeting standard export performance criteria, subject to verification through the DGFT IEC database.
The initiative is expected to strengthen participation of innovation-driven enterprises in international trade, support export diversification, promote technology-led products and services, and reinforce India's emergence as a global hub for innovation. Start-up users already registered on Trade Connect with eligible IECs will automatically receive the option to create their microsites from their dashboard, with a detailed user guide issued to facilitate seamless registration.
Trade Connect serves as the Government of India's integrated digital platform providing exporters with access to trade-related information, services, market intelligence and institutional support through a single interface. Its flagship "Source from India" feature functions as an official digital marketplace where international buyers can identify verified Indian exporters, view product offerings and business credentials, and establish direct business connections.