Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) was identified as a nodal agency to conduct the novel online programme ‘Niryat Bandhu@ Your Desktop’ for entrepreneurs, exporters, importers, IEC holders by Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT). DGFT implemented Niryat Bandhu scheme for mentoring new and potential exporters on the intricacies of foreign trade through counselling, training, and outreach programme. The Niryat Bandhu Scheme was announced as part of Foreign Trade Policy 2009-14 on 13^th October, 2011 to focus on mentoring the first generation entrepreneurs in the field of international trade. The scheme was given a major thrust in the new Foreign Trade Policy 2015-20. Online Certificate Programme in Export and Import Management offered by IIFT is an excellent effort which aims at empowering entrepreneurs and creating exporters under the same.

The programme, NIRYAT BANDHU @YOUR DESKTOP has been successfully implemented and has concluded its first year with completion of nine batches and beginning of the tenth batch. The programme is handled by faculty of international repute having expertise in the area of international trade and well versed with the nuances of export-import procedures, documentation, regulations, financial schemes, currency management, risk management, customs and excise interface, etc. DGFT also extended total support for making this programme effective. The total fee for the programme is ₹ 25, 000 where participants are required to pay ₹ 15,000 only and the balance of ₹ 10,000 is paid by DGFT. A portal http://niryatbandhu.iift.ac.in/ has also been set up for the programme, which provides details of the programme and latest news and happenings in the domain. The programme so far has received 215329 hits, 2300 registrations, 10 batches, 474 participants, and 177 business plans. To mark successful completion of one year of the programme, IIFT celebrated the occasion on 5^th September, 2016 to take a review of the progress and streamline the path forward. Toppers of each batch, overall toppers from all the batches and top three best business plans were felicitated. In the path forward it was decide that a programme exclusively in Hindi will be launched. Dr Surajit Mitra, Director and Vice Chancellor, IIFT launched the Hindi Website of the programme. Mr Anup Wadhawan, Director General of Foreign Trade launched the Hindi brochure of the programme. It was also suggested that the best business plans which have been felicitated will get handholding to enter into exports in major way. Mr D. K. Singh, Additional DGFT, suggested to compile manuals in select local / regional languages. He further added that the exporters from newer sectors such as machinery, Mineral & Ores, Metals, etc have attended this unique programme indicates the emerging direction of India’s trade. The programme received much appreciation and the knowledge of export-import has digitally been imparted in over 100 cities. Mr Anup Wadhawan, DGFT, in his address appreciated the reach of the programme from the fact that it received participants even from small and interior of places such as Etawah. “The programme will gain more momentum in time to come and will reach higher ground”, says Dr Vijaya Katti, Professor and Chairperson (Management Development Programmes Division), Indian Institute of Foreign Trade.

Export mentoring programme under Niryat Bandhu boosts exporter readiness through online training, subsidised fees, and multilingual outreach. An online export mentoring initiative under the Niryat Bandhu Scheme provides an Online Certificate Programme in Export and Import Management covering procedures, documentation, regulatory interfaces, financial and currency management, and risk and customs processes; it is supported by subsidised fees and a programme portal, has completed multiple cohorts with participant registrations and business plans, and will expand via regional-language streams, translated manuals, and targeted handholding for selected business plans to facilitate market entry.