New Delhi: The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the launch of a Rs 25,060-crore Export Promotion Mission that seeks to consolidate various export-linked schemes under a single framework and provide an all-round boost to India’s external trade. Announced in the Union Budget 2025–26, the six-year mission will run from FY 2025–26 to FY 2030–31.
The scheme, aimed at covering sectors such as textiles, leather, gems and jewellery, engineering goods, and marine products, which were hit by recent global tariff escalations, would be executed through the digital platform by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade.
The EPM will work through two integrated sub-schemes, namely Niryat Protsahan and Niryat Disha, which look at credit facilitation and trade readiness, respectively.
Under Niryat Protsahan, exporters, especially MSMEs, shall get interest subvention on both pre- and post-shipment credit, besides measures to promote export factoring, deep-tier financing, and the issue of credit cards for e-commerce exporters. It also envisages collateral support for plugging existing gaps in credit access and allowing MSMEs to reach new or high-risk markets.
The Niryat Disha component will assist in testing, certification and compliance to international standards, as well as market access efforts-including trade delegations and buyer-seller meets. It will also finance export warehousing, inland transport and handling in remote districts, export branding and packaging, and trade facilitation measures to build capacities at the MSME and cluster levels.
As per official estimates, this mission is likely to help India’s export competitiveness through the addressing of non-tariff barriers, enhance liquidity for MSMEs, reach wider markets, and create employment in manufacturing, logistics, and allied sectors.
In a related move, the Cabinet granted the expansion of the Credit Guarantee Scheme for Exporters with an additional outlay of Rs 20,000 crore. The scheme will provide collateral-free, 100 per cent government-guaranteed working capital support—up to 20 per cent of sanctioned export limits—through the National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company till March 31, 2026. The step aims to enhance global competitiveness and encourage Indian exporters to explore new markets.
The Cabinet also approved the rationalisation of royalty rates for critical minerals, such as graphite, zirconium, rubidium, and caesium to incentivise domestic production and reduce import dependence. The move will contribute to India’s energy security and attract new investment in the high-tech mineral sector, officials said. Graphite with 80 per cent or more carbon content will attract a royalty of 2 per cent of the average sale price (ASP) under the revised structure, while other grades will be charged at 4 per cent. Zirconium, rubidium, and caesium will attract royalties of 1 per cent and 2 per cent of ASP, respectively.
They said that blocks of these minerals will be put up for auction shortly, and required amendments will be made to the 2nd Schedule of the Mines & Minerals (Development & Regulation) Act.