Sreeram Viswanath

Expert

Published on: Sep 17, 2026

Market Access Initiative Scheme, 2018

The Market Access Initiative Scheme, 2018 was developed to bolster exports by addressing critical interventions that help in discovering new global markets and promoting export-centric activities. This scheme is crafted with a focus-product-focus-country strategy to revolutionize targeted markets and products through market research. The initiative is supported by the services of export promotion organizations, trade promotion entities, and educational institutions like universities and research labs. These entities receive governmental funding to fulfill the scheme’s objectives. This article delves into the scheme's details and benefits.

Founding Objective

Initiated with clear goals, the scheme aims to:

Promote India’s exports sustainably throughout the 10th five-year plan.
Employ a Focus-Product-Focus-Country approach for strategic execution.
Innovate strategies to enhance export potential.
Implement targeted market and product strategies through market studies/surveys.

Implementation Scale

Financial support under this scheme is provided to eligible agencies, helping them contribute to marketing initiatives, market research, capacity building, branding, and meeting statutory compliances in importing markets. This scheme also encompasses the Marketing Development Assistance Scheme. Adequate support is extended for marketing projects pursued abroad based on the Focus Product-Focus Country.

Qualified Agencies

This scheme is accessible to the following organizations/agencies:

Departments of Central and State Governments, including overseas Indian missions.
Export Promotion Councils.
Recognized Trade Promotion Organizations.
Commodity Boards under the Department of Commerce.
Apex Trade Bodies recognized under India's Foreign Trade Policy (FTP).
Authorized Industrial and Artisan clusters.
Individual exporters.
National Level Institutions such as IITs and IIMs.

Activities Eligible for Funds

Under this scheme, various activities are supported:

Marketing Projects Abroad

Showrooms and Warehouses launches.
Organizing multi-sectoral "Trade Festival of India" events.
National participation in select International Trade Fairs.
Exhibiting in International departmental stores.
World-class catalogue publications.
Comprehensive publicity campaigns and brand promotions.
Research and product development.
Support for recognized associations in foreign marketing ventures.
Facilitating reverse visits of significant foreign procurers.

Capacity Building

Training Indian exporters on export principles.
Upgradation of laboratories and research facilities.
Improving the quality of select export products.
Developing common facility centers, design centers, and packaging solutions.
Hiring of consultants in foreign jurisdictions.

Statutory Compliances

Expenses for statutory requirements in buyer countries.
Approval-based reimbursement for compliance on a case-by-case basis.
Contesting international litigations concerning restrictions or duties.

Studies

Conducting market studies to enhance strategies.
Surveying export potential across states.
Projects and studies that align with scheme objectives.
WTO-compatible strategy studies.
Engaging in comprehensive trade studies like JSG, FTA, RTA.

Project Development

Creating impactful projects to improve market access, especially in priority sectors with high employment potential.

Miscellaneous

Developing a foreign trade facilitation web portal.
Supporting cottage and handicraft units.

Criteria for Sanction

The Market Access Initiative (MAI) scheme is guided by a Market-Product/Services approach. Interested agencies must submit comprehensive market access project proposals to the Department of Commerce, based on scientific analyses. The projects should include effective publicity campaigns, seminars, and buyer-seller meets for optimizing benefits from international fairs and exhibitions.

Submission of Proposal

Qualified agencies can submit proposals to the E&MDA Division through relevant administrative channels. Each proposal needs an executive summary, as outlined in Annexure-1, including relevant data/surveys and a qualitative and quantitative depiction of projected benefits.

Validation of Proposals

Submitted proposals will be validated by respective divisions, with service sector proposals routed specifically. Sub-Committees led by Joint Secretaries will evaluate division recommendations and submit findings to the Empowered Committee (EC).

Level of Assistance

Projects under the scheme are funded on a cost-sharing basis, with the pattern ranging from 50% to 65%. Priority sectors such as cottage industries may receive additional resources. Small to medium enterprises also receive export promotion assistance.

The assistance level provided to participators is:

Level of Assistance in Normal Course	Level in Cottage and Handicrafts	Limits Specified
Less than 50%	75%	Subject to maximum ceiling prescribed in normal course
50% and above	90%	Subject to maximum ceiling prescribed in normal course

Adequate support is also extended for developing virtual exhibition websites at 75% of approved cost.

Dispersal of Funds

Funds are dispensed in two installments: 50% upfront and the remainder on submission of outcome reports and CA certified accounts. There is a provision for reclaiming advance grants with interest in default situations.

Start-ups hold Prominence

Given the significance of start-ups to national interest, specific areas are allocated for their exhibition and participation.

Participation

Offshore event participation typically requires a minimum of 50 exhibitors/exporters. Exceptions for smaller sectors with fewer participants can be considered if justified by market, commodity, or service specifics.

Clubbing of Agencies

Efforts are encouraged to maximize engagement by clubbing agencies under single events, as detailed in Annexure-VI.

Monitoring and Review

Selected project agencies must submit quarterly reports, as described in Annexure-II, to monitor fund utilization and forecast additional fund needs. The Empowered Committee, supported by the E&MDA Division, periodically reviews the project and ensures goal achievements. The E&MDA Division also conducts timely checks to verify proper fund usage and execute project plans.

Validity

The scheme was operational until March 31, 2020, aiming to effectively support export initiatives and maximize India's global trade presence.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Market Access Initiative Scheme 2018 for Indian Export Promotion.

The Market Access Initiative Scheme, 2018 is a scheme developed by the Government of India to promote exports and explore new markets across the globe. It follows a focus-product-focus-country approach and aims to revolutionize specific markets and products through market research.

The primary objectives of the Market Access Initiative Scheme, 2018 are to promote India's exports on a sustained basis during the 10th five-year plan, execute endeavours through a Focus-Product-Focus Country approach, and implement a specific market and product approach through market study/survey.

The scheme is applicable to various organizations/agencies, including departments of the Central Government, export promotion councils, registered trade promotion organizations, commodity boards, apex trade bodies recognized under the Foreign Trade Policy, authorized industrial and artisan clusters, individual exporters, and national-level institutions like IITs, IIMs, and NIDs.

The scheme provides funding for various activities, including marketing projects abroad, capacity building, statutory compliances, market studies/surveys, project development, and miscellaneous activities like developing a foreign trade facilitation web portal.

Proposals submitted by eligible agencies are first validated by the concerned commodity/territorial division or service export division. The proposals are then considered by Sub-Committees and the Empowered Committee, which convey their recommendations.

Each project under the scheme is funded on a cost-sharing basis, with the sharing pattern ranging from 65% to 50% at the minimum. Priority sectors with potential for employment generation, such as cottage and handicrafts, may receive higher assistance levels.

The funds are dispersed in two instalments. The first instalment provides up to 50% of the approved cost, and the second and final instalment funds the remaining cost after submission of outcome reports, utilization certificates, and audited accounts.

Considering the national interest in developing start-ups, separate areas are allocated for start-up participants under the scheme.

Participation in offshore events can be pursued with a minimum of 50 exhibitors/exporters waging their proposals, except for some smaller sectors where a justification for lesser participation can be considered.

The agencies selected for projects are required to furnish quarterly reports in a prescribed format. The Empowered Committee reviews the scheme periodically, and the E&MDA Division conducts timely physical verification of the proper utilization of funds and implementation of projects.