Export exhibitions & trade fairs for Indian exporters

Why Do Exhibitions Matter for Exporters?

Trade fairs remain the most effective channel for Indian exporters to meet international buyers face-to-face, demonstrate products, and close deals. For MSME exporters, exhibitions often generate 50-70% of new buyer relationships.

Why trade fairs work for exporters

• Direct buyer meetings. Skip cold outreach, meet qualified buyers who came looking for products
• Product demonstrations. Buyers can touch, test, and compare your product against competitors
• Market intelligence. See competitor pricing, packaging, and positioning in real time
• Compliance confidence. Buyers trust exporters they meet in person, especially for first orders
• Government subsidies. Indian government covers a significant portion of costs for MSME exporters

Government subsidies for trade fair participation

The Indian government actively subsidizes export exhibition participation through multiple schemes. Under the new Export Promotion Mission (EPM), these have been consolidated under the Niryat Disha pillar.

MDA. Market Development Assistance

Who can claim

MSME exporters and trade bodies (priority to new-to-export MSMEs)

What's covered

Economy class international airfare, stall rent, publicity material, freight for samples, local transport

Limit

Maximum 2 international trade fairs per financial year per exporter

Special categories

Waived stall rent for Women, SC/ST, and North-East entrepreneurs

Apply through

Your Export Promotion Council or FIEO

MAI. Market Access Initiative

Who can claim

EPCs, trade bodies, DPIIT-recognized startups (Rs 50L+ turnover). FOB exports must not exceed Rs 50 crore in preceding year

Reimbursement

2/3 of participation costs (up to Rs 50 lakh per event). 75-90% for cottage/handicraft units

Airfare

Up to Rs 75,000 (economy class). Up to Rs 1,25,000 for Africa/Americas routes

Participation limit

Max 3 MAI events/year. SC/ST/Women entrepreneurs: 5 events/year (each in different markets)

Key restriction

MAI only flows through EPC-organized activities. No reimbursement for independent participation

Claims deadline

Within 45-90 days of return (varies by EPC)

Valid through

March 31, 2026 (being folded into EPM Niryat Disha)

Niryat Disha (under EPM). New

What's new

Consolidates MAI + MDA into one framework under the Rs 25,060 crore Export Promotion Mission

Coverage

Trade fair participation, branding/labelling/packaging support, 50% reimbursement on international quality certifications, overseas warehouse support

Brand India

New "Unified Brand India" framework for sector-specific branding at international fairs

Digital platform

BharatTradeNET for application, approval, and disbursal

SC/ST Hub Scheme. Additional benefits

EPC membership

80% reimbursement of EPC membership fees (cap Rs 20,000) for SC/ST entrepreneurs

E-commerce portals

80% or Rs 25,000 reimbursement for e-commerce portal memberships (GeM, e-khadi, MSME Mart)

Exhibition costs

Waived stall rent at export promotion events for Women/NE/SC-ST entrepreneurs

Apply at

scsthub.in

How to apply for subsidized participation

Step-by-step process

1. Get your RCMC. Register with the relevant Export Promotion Council for your product sector. This is mandatory for MDA/MAI benefits. See our RCMC guide.
2. Check the EPC exhibition calendar. Each EPC publishes an annual calendar of approved international and domestic exhibitions. FIEO also publishes a consolidated calendar.
3. Register for the trade fair through your EPC. EPCs coordinate group participation with pre-negotiated stall rates, shared India pavilion space, and logistics support.
4. Submit pre-event documents. IEC copy, RCMC, Udyam Registration (for MSME subsidy), GST registration, passport copy, stall booking confirmation.
5. Attend the trade fair. Maintain attendance records, collect buyer business cards, and document meetings.
6. Submit reimbursement claim. Within 30-60 days after the fair, submit boarding passes, hotel invoices, stall rent receipts, publicity expenditure bills, and a participation report to the EPC.
7. EPC forwards to DGFT RA. The EPC consolidates claims and submits to the DGFT Regional Authority for reimbursement under MDA.

Documents required

• Valid IEC (Import Export Code)
• RCMC from relevant Export Promotion Council
• Udyam Registration certificate (for MSME subsidy rates)
• GST registration certificate
• Passport copy and visa
• Stall booking confirmation and receipt
• International boarding passes (economy class)
• Participation report with buyer contacts and leads generated

Key domestic exhibitions for exporters

India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) and sector-specific EPCs organize major domestic exhibitions that attract international buyers. These are excellent starting points for new-to-export MSMEs.

Major international trade fairs with India pavilions

ITPO, FIEO, and EPCs organize India pavilions at 50+ international trade fairs annually. Participating through the India pavilion gives you subsidized stall rates, shared logistics, and collective brand visibility.

Export Promotion Councils & buyer-seller meets

India has 39 export promotion bodies under DGFT. Including EPCs, commodity boards, and development authorities. Beyond exhibitions, they organize focused buyer-seller meets, trade delegations, and reverse buyer missions. FIEO serves as the apex federation.

Key EPCs and their exhibition focus

Types of events EPCs organize

• Trade fairs. India pavilions at international exhibitions with subsidized stalls
• Buyer-seller meets (BSMs). Focused events where pre-vetted international buyers meet Indian exporters, typically organized in target countries
• Reverse buyer missions. International buyers brought to India to visit manufacturing units and attend exhibitions
• Trade delegations. Outbound groups of Indian exporters visiting target markets for B2B meetings
• Virtual buyer-seller meets. Online matchmaking events, expanded significantly since 2020

FIEO Reverse Buyer-Seller Meets (2026)

FIEO organizes Reverse BSMs across India where international buyers are hosted. Complimentary international airfare, 5-star accommodation, and local transport. Key 2026 locations:

• Rajkot, Gujarat. January 2026 (tied to Vibrant Gujarat Conference)
• Kolkata. January 2026 (textiles, garments, leather goods)
• Shillong, Meghalaya. February 2026
• Kochi, Kerala. February 2026
• Surat, Gujarat. May 2026 (45+ foreign buyers from 15+ countries)

Key sectors: textiles, chemicals, pharma, food/agro products, engineering goods. FIEO coordinates 50+ international exhibitions annually for its ~200,000 member exporters.

How to prepare for a trade fair

Before the fair. 3-4 months ahead

• Register through your EPC. Don't book independently if you want subsidies
• Prepare product samples. Carry enough for the expected number of buyer meetings
• Print product catalogues. Include specifications, MOQ, pricing (FOB/CIF), HS codes, and compliance certifications
• Prepare an export price list. Landed cost in buyer's currency at FOB and CIF terms
• Get business cards printed in English and local language of the host country
• Research attending buyers. Most trade fairs publish visitor/exhibitor lists in advance

At the fair

• Collect buyer business cards and note specific product interests on each
• Take product photos with interested buyers (with permission) for follow-up
• Record MOQ, quality requirements, delivery timelines, and certifications needed per buyer
• Note competitor pricing and packaging. What are others offering at what price?
• Exchange WhatsApp contacts. Faster follow-up than email for many markets

After the fair. Within 1 week

• Send personalized follow-up emails to every buyer met. Reference specific products discussed
• Share updated quotations with landed cost calculations
• Send samples where requested. Track with courier receipts
• Submit MDA reimbursement claim to your EPC with all receipts and boarding passes
• Document leads in a CRM or spreadsheet. Track conversion from fair to first order

Seasaw automates this

Turn trade fair leads into compliant exports

Met a buyer at a trade fair? Seasaw handles the compliance side (EDPMS tracking, eBRC filing, RoDTEP claims, and export documentation) so you can focus on building the relationship and closing the deal.

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Sources & citations

• Market Development Assistance (MDA) Scheme..
• Ministry of Commerce & Ministry of MSME. Market Access Initiative (MAI) Scheme.
• Department of Commerce. Export Promotion Mission (EPM). Union Cabinet approval, November 2025. FIEO exhibition calendar. ITPO (India Trade Promotion Organisation). Export Promotion Councils. EEPC India, EPCH, AEPC, GJEPC, FIEO, Pharmexcil, CHEMEXCIL, TEXPROCIL, APEDA, CLE. National SC-ST Hub Scheme. Scsthub.in.

Update history

• 2026-08-11 First published.