New MAS intervention under the Export Promotion Mission focuses on structured buyer connect, long-term market planning, and MSME inclusion

In a decisive push to sharpen India’s global export competitiveness, the Government of India has launched the Market Access Support (MAS) Intervention under the Export Promotion Mission (EPM), a flagship initiative approved by the Union Cabinet in November. Designed as a structural upgrade to India’s export promotion architecture, the intervention seeks to deliver predictable, outcome-driven market access for Indian exporters—especially MSMEs, first-time exporters, and firms in priority sectors.

Implemented under the NIRYAT DISHA sub-scheme of EPM, the MAS Intervention marks a shift away from ad hoc trade promotion toward a more strategic, data-led engagement with global markets. The mission is being jointly executed by the Department of Commerce, Ministry of MSME, and Ministry of Finance, working closely with Indian Missions abroad, Export Promotion Councils, Commodity Boards, and industry bodies.

At its core, MAS focuses on strengthening buyer connectivity and expanding India’s commercial presence through structured interventions. These include Buyer-Seller Meets (BSMs), participation in major international trade fairs and exhibitions, Mega Reverse Buyer-Seller Meets (RBSMs) hosted in India, and targeted trade delegations to priority and emerging markets.

A key innovation under the programme is the introduction of a forward-looking three-to-five-year calendar of major market access events, to be approved in advance. This is expected to give exporters and organising agencies greater visibility and planning certainty, while ensuring continuity in market development efforts rather than one-off engagements.

To ensure inclusivity, the government has mandated that at least 35% of participants in supported events be MSMEs, with special emphasis on new geographies and smaller markets to accelerate export diversification. Delegation sizes have been benchmarked at a minimum of 50 participants, with built-in flexibility based on market conditions and strategic relevance.

Financial support norms have also been recalibrated. Event-level ceilings and cost-sharing ratios have been rationalised, with preferential treatment for priority sectors and markets. Notably, small exporters with export turnover of up to Rs 75 lakh in the previous year will be eligible for partial airfare support—an explicit signal to lower entry barriers for new exporters.

To improve transparency and ease of access, the entire lifecycle—from event listing and proposal submission to approvals, participant onboarding, fund release, and monitoring—will be digitised via trade.gov.in. Mandatory online feedback mechanisms will capture exporter assessments of buyer quality, business leads, and market relevance, feeding into continuous refinement of MAS guidelines.

Looking ahead, the government plans to notify a new component for Proofs-of-Concept and Product Demonstrations, particularly for technology-intensive and sunrise sectors, to complement traditional trade promotion formats. Additional digital tools for lead tracking, exporter follow-up, and market intelligence integration will be rolled out in phases to strengthen outcome measurement.

With the launch of the Market Access Support Intervention, policymakers are betting on a more disciplined, data-driven export promotion model—one that offers Indian firms clearer market-entry pathways, deeper buyer engagement, and stronger integration into global value chains. If executed as envisioned, MAS could become a cornerstone of India’s next phase of sustained export growth.