DGFT Revises TRACE Scheme; MSMEs Eligible For Up To 95% Certification Cost Reimbursement

New Delhi, Jul 11 (KNN) The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has revised the guidelines for the Trade Regulations, Accreditations and Compliance Enablement (TRACE) scheme under the Export Promotion Mission (EPM)- Niryat Disha, with enhanced financial support aimed at helping Indian exporters meet global testing and certification requirements.

Higher Reimbursement For MSME Exporters

According to a trade notice issued on July 1, 2026, the revised scheme seeks to improve the global competitiveness of Indian exporters by reducing technical barriers to trade and facilitating easier access to international markets through support for testing, certification and regulatory compliance.

Under the revised guidelines, micro and small enterprises will be eligible for reimbursement of up to 95 percent of testing and certification costs, while medium enterprises can claim reimbursement of up to 80 percent.

The scheme provides a maximum reimbursement of Rs 50 lakh per Importer Exporter Code (IEC) per financial year for both categories.

The DGFT has also introduced a provision for merit-based exceptions, under which reimbursement beyond the Rs 50 lakh annual ceiling may be considered on a case-by-case basis by a dedicated sub-committee.

Approved Certification List To Be Updated Regularly

Annexure 1 of the trade notice includes a comprehensive list of approved international, Indian and country-specific certifications eligible for reimbursement under the scheme.

The directory will be updated periodically to incorporate new certifications, regulatory standards, conformity assessment requirements and country-specific compliance measures in line with evolving global market requirements.

FIEO Seeks Exporters’ Feedback

The Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) has urged exporters to review the approved certification list and identify any missing international or country-specific certification, testing protocol, regulatory approval or compliance requirement relevant to their export markets.

Based on industry feedback, FIEO said it will take up such proposals with DGFT for inclusion in the approved directory, enabling more exporters across sectors to avail the benefits of the TRACE scheme.

(KNN Bureau)