Exporters are individuals or entities involved in export of goods and services from India from other countries. To boost the export of goods and services, the Government of India has introduced several export promotion schemes. If you are planning to start an export business, understanding these schemes is essential as they can help reduce operational costs as well as improve global competitiveness. In this blog, we shall discuss the major export promotion schemes available to Indian exporters one by one.
Below, we have provided you with the list of export promotion schemes in India that are beneficial for the Indian exporters. :
Year of Launch: 2021
RoDTEP full form is Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products. It is one of the most popular export promotion schemes in India. It was originally announced on 1 February 2020. However, it was formally initiated for eligible exports almost a year later, i.e., from 1 January 2021 onwards. When this scheme was introduced, it replaced the previous Merchandise Exports from India Scheme (MEIS) to align with World Trade Organization (WTO) norms.
The RoDTEP scheme provides a WTO-compliant reimbursement system for taxes, duties and levies incurred in exported products’ manufacturing as well as distribution. The scheme covers a wide range of sectors, including labor-intensive sectors like textiles, agriculture, marine, leather, gems & jewellery, engineering and automobiles. Special Economic Zone Units and Export Oriented Units are eligible to claim the RoDTEP scheme’s benefits.
Year of Launch: 2015
SEIS stands for Service Exports from India Scheme. It was introduced by the government under the Foreign Trade Policy 2025-2020 to reward Indian businesses and professionals who earned foreign exchange via service exports like information technology/information technology enabled services, consultancy, management, architectural, engineering, healthcare and hospitality services. This scheme replaced the previous Served From India Scheme (SFIS) to offer wider coverage as well as flexible benefits.
The SEIS scheme provided financial incentives to service exporters and helped India strengthen its position as a global services hub. However, SEIS has been discontinued under the Foreign Trade Policy 2023. Whether or not this scheme will be reintroduced is uncertain as the government has not made any official announcement regarding its revival.
Year of Launch: 1992
EPCG Scheme full form is the Export Promotion Capital Goods Scheme. It is one of the earliest export promotion schemes that still continues to be in operation. It was introduced on 1 April 1992. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade administers this scheme. The provisions that govern the EPCG scheme are outlined in the Foreign Trade Policy. Under the EPCG scheme, authorizations are issued to exporters to import capital goods (like machinery, spares, fixtures, jigs, moulds and software) at concessional rate of customs duty.
The licensees are required to fulfill an export obligation (EO) that is equivalent to six times the duty saved over 6 years. This obligation ensures that the exporters don’t just import machinery cheaply but they actually use it to boost exports and foreign exchange earnings.
Year of Launch: 2017
TIES Scheme full form is Trade Infrastructure for Export Scheme. It was launched in March 2017 and still continues to be one of the best export schemes for the Indian exporters. The scheme provides financial aid to build/improve infrastructure that supports exports like quality testing labs, cold storage facilities, export warehouses and port/airport cargo terminals.
Under this scheme, the centre generally pays for up to 50% of the project cost. In case of North Eastern and Himalayan states, it provides up to 80% coverage. The main purpose of TIES is to remove hurdles in movement of goods and ensure the export items comply with the global quality standards.
Year of Launch: 2003
The Market Access Initiative MAI Scheme is an export promotion designed to support and strengthen India’s export trade in a sustainable manner. It is one of the oldest export promotion schemes that is still active today in the country. Basically, this scheme focuses on a product-specific approach and uses market research and surveys to boost export growth. In order to explore new markets and strengthen presence in existing ones, MAI provides support to Export Promotion Councils, trade promotion organizations, research institutions, laboratories and universities
In addition to promoting the export of goods and services, the scheme supports MSMEs in several ways. It helps such businesses to expand into new international markets, adopt innovation as well as technology, gain knowledge regarding trade and exports, develop essential skills for business and understand the important steps required to enter global markets successfully.
In this blog post, we talked about export promotion schemes, namely, the RoDTEP scheme, EPCG scheme, SEIS, TIES and MAI scheme. These schemes have been crucial in forming India's export industry. They have been extremely helpful in guaranteeing export growth and assisting Indian exporters. While some schemes like SEIS are no longer operational in today’s time, other schemes are still in place and they continue to make a significant contribution to the expansion as well as competitiveness of Indian exports in the global markets.
Want to start an export business? If yes, then don’t forget to secure import export code, which is a mandatory requirement for all export businesses. For assistance in securing it in a smooth and hassle free manner, you can get in touch with our IEC consultants at Registrationwala.
Q1. What is the RoDTEP Scheme?
A. RoDTEP is basically an export scheme that refunds duties, levies and taxes that exporters incur during the manufacturing and distribution of their goods.
Q2. Is the SEIS scheme still active?
A. No, the SEIS scheme is no longer operational. The Government of India discontinued this scheme for services rendered after 1 April 2020.
Q3. What was the EPCG scheme introduced by the Government of India?
A. The EPCG scheme was introduced by the Government of India on 1 April 1992. It is one of the oldest export schemes that is still operational.
Q4. When was the Market Access Initiative Scheme launched?
A. The Market Access Initiative Scheme was launched in 2003.
Q5. Which schemes are designed to provide export incentives in India?
A. Schemes designed to provide export incentives in India include RoDTEP and EPCG.
Q6. What is the difference between RoDTEP Scheme and TIES Scheme?
A. The RoDTEP Scheme refunds duties, levies and taxes that are incurred by the Indian exporters during the production and distribution of goods. On the other hand, the TIES Scheme provides financial aid to build/improve infrastructure that supports export.
Hey there, I'm Dushyant Sharma. With the extensive knowledge I've gained in past 8 years, I have been creating content on various subjects such as banking, insurance, telecom, and all the important registration and licensing processes for various companies. I'm here to help everyone with my expertise in these areas through my articles.
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