This would also allow buyers from international markets to place orders for unique domestic products using the e-commerce platform.
The ODOP scheme aims to help individual districts develop as export hubs for specific products closely identified with those geographies. Petha, a translucent candy, for instance, has been identified for Agra in Uttar Pradesh, rose from Ajmer in Rajasthan, and milk products from Hisar in Haryana.
Amazon will also help micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) with export promotions and in building capacity as part of the government’s initiative to develop each district as an export hub.
The ODOP initiative is aimed at supplementing the DGFT’s efforts to promote first-time exporters and MSME producers towards achieving India’s $1 trillion goods export target by 2030, the ministry said. Of this, the target for e-commerce exports is $200-300 billion, which makes the collaboration with Amazon crucial towards the overall exports drive.
Twenty districts have been identified for capacity building and handholding sessions.
The DGFT’s agreement with Amazon India involves leveraging the e-commerce platform for supporting local exporters, manufacturers, and MSMEs in reaching potential international buyers, the ministry said in a statement.
The partnership aligns with the Foreign Trade Policy 2023, which identifies e-commerce as a focus area for amplifying India’s exports.
As part of the agreement, both Amazon and the DGFT will create capacity building sessions, training and workshops for MSMEs in districts identified by DGFT under the ‘district as exports hub’ initiative, the ministry said.
“We are working closely with state governments and private players to leverage the potential of each district across India and enable MSMEs, farmers and small industries to get the benefit of export opportunities in overseas markets,” Santosh Sarangi, the Director General of Foreign Trade, told Mint.
The DGFT is also in discussion with Flipkart, Ebay, Rivexa, Shopclues, Shiprocket, and DHL Express for similar collaborations, the ministry said.
Currently, the ODOP programme has joined hands with more than 35 brands, covering around 100 districts.
As per this, e-commerce platforms will identify districts across the country to undertake various capacity-building and outreach activities in collaboration with regional authorities of the DGFT.
The export promotion activities will focus on educating MSMEs on e-commerce exports and enabling them to sell to customers across the world, the ministry said in its statement, adding that these businesses will also learn about imaging, digital cataloguing of their products, and tax advisory.
