India's Districts as Export Hubs Initiative for Inclusive Export Growth
The Government of India has launched the Districts as Export Hubs (DEH) Initiative as a framework to achieve inclusive export growth by transforming every district into a center of export planning. The initiative identifies products and services with global potential and connects local producers to international markets, building upon the One District One Product (ODOP) concept that began as a Uttar Pradesh state initiative in 2018 around Moradabad's brass industry.
India's export performance provides the context for this initiative, with total exports of goods and services reaching an all-time high of US$ 825.25 billion in 2024-25, growing further to an estimated US$ 863.11 billion in 2025-26. The DEH initiative addresses the historical concentration of export activity around established industrial clusters and port cities by unlocking district-level strengths and connecting them to international markets.
As of January 2026, the DEH initiative covers more than 770 districts across the country. The institutional architecture involves coordination between the Centre, States, and districts, with the Department of Commerce providing policy direction and the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) anchoring implementation. State Export Promotion Committees (SEPCs) guide implementation at the state level, while District Export Promotion Committees (DEPCs) operate at the district level.
The DEPCs are responsible for preparing District Export Action Plans (DEAPs) that map products and services with export potential, assess infrastructure and logistics, identify export bottlenecks, and recommend interventions. As of March 2026, draft DEAPs have been prepared for 590 districts, with 249 formally adopted by the respective DEPCs.
The initiative focuses on identifying export-worthy products across districts, including GI-tagged products, agricultural clusters, toy clusters, and engineering goods. Specific district-product mappings include Sabarkantha (Gujarat) for Ceramic & Tiles and Potato; Aravalli (Gujarat) for Minerals, Agro-processing, Glass and Tiles; Jalgaon (Maharashtra) for Jalgaon Banana and Jalgaon Bharit Brinjal; Agar Malwa (Madhya Pradesh) for Orange; Baster (Chhattisgarh) for Bastar Iron Craft, Rice, Jowar, and Maize; and Jamtara (Jharkhand) for Bamboo Craft and Cashew.
DEH supports meeting international quality benchmarks through awareness building and capacity development regarding quality standards, testing facilities, packaging, branding, and certification. Digital export enablement is facilitated through partnerships with e-commerce platforms including Amazon, Shiprocket, and DHL, providing MSMEs with cost-effective courier shipping alternatives. Dak Ghar Niryat Kendras offer low-cost postal export facilities for documentation, packaging, and small consignments.
Capacity building and outreach programs are conducted by DGFT Regional Authorities along with district administrations, covering logistics planning, export procedures, packaging norms, and regulatory compliance. Ecosystem partners include Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India (ECGC), Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH), Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO), Ministry of MSME, India Post, and Exim Bank.
DGFT has partnered with EXIM Bank to strengthen export ecosystems in selected districts through the Grassroots Initiatives for Development (GRID) programme. Six districts have been selected for support: Anantapur, Raipur, Solan, Tiruppur, Kanpur, and Kolhapur. Tiruppur, noted as India's knitwear capital, achieved record exports of ₹46,000 crore in FY 2025-26, with the Tiruppur Exporters Association setting a target of ₹1 trillion in exports by 2030, aligning with India's goal to increase textile exports from $38 billion to $100 billion by 2030.
From 1st June 2026, the Government has adopted an outcome-oriented, focused, and phased approach for DEH implementation. The first phase covers districts across 27 States and Union Territories with support from 24 DGFT Regional Authorities and 11 partner agencies, focusing on measurable outcomes such as new exporter registrations and increasing export value through convergence of ongoing central and state schemes, leveraging GI products and MSME clusters.