Districts as Export Hubs Initiative for Inclusive Growth

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Key takeaways

The Districts as Export Hubs (DEH) initiative aims to turn every Indian district into an export planning unit, reaching over 770 districts as of January 2026.
Managed by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, DEH expands upon the One District One Product (ODOP) model.
Under its institutional framework, 590 districts drafted District Export Action Plans (DEAPs), with 249 plans officially adopted by March 2026.
To support India's target of reaching $1 trillion in annual exports, the DGFT joined hands with EXIM Bank under the Grassroots Initiatives for Development (GRID) scheme across 6 districts.

The Indian government recently highlighted how the Districts as Export Hubs (DEH) initiative helps make national export growth inclusive by connecting local producers to global markets.
This flagship initiative aims to convert every Indian district into a self-sustaining export planning unit by discovering local goods and services that have strong international potential.

The primary objective of the DEH initiative is to use the unique resources and products of each district to boost local exports and link regional businesses with world trade.
Instead of focusing only on factory production, this model treats each district as a distinct planning unit to boost local competitiveness and open foreign market channels.
This initiative strengthens national goals like Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Vocal for Local by supporting small businesses and generating local employment.
The Department of Commerce and the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) expanded the earlier product-focused One District One Product (ODOP) scheme into a full export ecosystem under DEH.
As of January 2026, this nationwide programme successfully covers more than 770 districts across India.

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry runs the ODOP scheme through DPIIT and Invest India to promote unique regional products.
Inspired by Japan's successful model, ODOP identified 1,102 products across 761 districts by 2025, spanning handicrafts, textiles, food products, and agriculture.
The main goal is to convert traditional regional items into famous global brands while protecting India's rich cultural heritage and artisan skills.
First launched in Uttar Pradesh in 2018 starting with Moradabad brassware, it helped revive traditional crafts like chikankari embroidery, pottery, carpets, and leather goods.

Rather than functioning as an independent financial grant, DEH acts as a convergence mechanism that brings together existing central and state government schemes.
It aims to build a strong export ecosystem by upgrading local manufacturing capacities, logistics networks, quality checks, and international market connections.
By promoting regional artisans, agricultural producers, and small enterprises, this policy creates new jobs and encourages balanced economic growth.

The Department of Commerce sets overall policy targets, while the DGFT manages daily execution, stakeholder collaboration, and progress tracking.
At the state level, State Export Promotion Committees (SEPCs) direct strategy and maintain coordination between various state administrative departments.
At the local level, District Export Promotion Committees (DEPCs) identify specific export opportunities and assist exporters in resolving local administrative obstacles.
By March 2026, authorities drafted District Export Action Plans (DEAPs) for 590 districts, with local committees formally adopting 249 plans.
On 1st June 2026, the government launched a targeted, outcome-driven implementation strategy to speed up execution across the country.
The initial implementation phase covers key districts across 27 States and Union Territories, supported by 24 DGFT Regional Authorities and 11 partner agencies.
Key success metrics include registering new exporters, boosting local trade volumes, promoting GI-tagged goods, and strengthening small business clusters.

The DEH scheme maps out local products with high foreign demand, such as GI-tagged items, farm produce, handicrafts, engineering components, and toys.
Local producers receive expert guidance on meeting international quality benchmarks, packaging standards, product testing, and mandatory global certifications.
By partnering with major e-commerce platforms, the government helps small businesses export goods online with lower freight costs and simplified market access.
Local postal outlets converted into Dak Ghar Niryat Kendras offer affordable shipping, easy documentation, and packaging support for small export packages.
Regional offices of DGFT and local administration host workshops to teach small business owners about custom regulations, export rules, and packaging norm compliance.
The DGFT collaborated with EXIM Bank under the Grassroots Initiatives for Development (GRID) scheme to provide tailored export support in select regions.
Six pilot districts were chosen under the GRID programme: Anantapur, Raipur, Solan, Tiruppur, Kanpur, and Kolhapur.

The Districts as Export Hubs Initiative shifts India's trade strategy from a few big ports to a decentralized, district-level export ecosystem.
Connecting small producers directly to global buyers empowers regional businesses and generates balanced employment opportunities at the grassroots level.
Strengthening individual districts will remain essential as India works to achieve its national target of $1 trillion in annual exports.

The DEH Initiative aims to make each district a focal point for export planning by identifying local products and linking regional businesses to world markets.
The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry implements the DEH initiative.
DEH is not an independent scheme with dedicated grants, but rather a convergence framework utilizing existing central and state programs.
While ODOP focuses on promoting a single district product, DEH expands this model into an all-inclusive district export ecosystem.
District Export Action Plans (DEAPs) are local strategies detailing potential export products, infrastructure requirements, and regulatory support for each district.