About Districts as Export Hubs Initiative:
- It is aimed at identifying products and services with global potential and connecting local producers with international markets.
- It is an initiative of the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, Department of Commerce.
- Under this initiative, the export promotion activities are being decentralised to make the districts active stakeholders in boosting export growth of the identified products and services from the districts.
- Institutional Architecture:
- DEH runs on a layered system of coordination between the Centre, States and districts.
- The Department of Commerce provides overall policy direction, while the DGFT anchors implementation, facilitates stakeholder coordination and monitors progress.
- At the State level, State Export Promotion Committees (SEPCs) guide implementation and ensure convergence across departments.
- At the district level, District Export Promotion Committees (DEPCs), identify export opportunities, resolve local challenges and coordinate with industry, exporters and other stakeholders.
- A key responsibility of the DEPCs is preparing District Export Action Plans (DEAPs). These plans map products and services with export potential, assess infrastructure and logistics, identify export bottlenecks.
- Coverage: The initiative has identified export potential in 734 districts across the country, spanning critical sectors like agriculture, toys, and GI products.
- Focused phase: From 1 June 2026, the initiative adopted a phased, outcome-oriented approach covering districts across 27 States and Union Territories, supported by 24 DGFT regional authorities and 11 partner agencies.
