TaxTMI 
TaxTMI 
Launch of Global Outreach for Branding, Labelling and Export Packaging under Export Promotion Mission (EPM) - Niryat Disha
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....veloping a Unified Brand India framework and world-class brands capable of capturing more value for Indian exports, translating into upward movement in the value chain. The initiative will be implemented through periodic identification of goods and services, export sectors, product categories, or markets, to design and implement branding, labelling, packaging, and promotional campaigns aligned with the Unified Brand India Framework. 4. The detailed Policy framework is enclosed as ANNEXURE-I. The Operational and Procedural Guidelines are enclosed in ANNEXURE-II. The Governance Structure is enclosed in ANNEXURE-III. 5. The guidelines are further submitted for stakeholder feedback in accordance with Paragraph 1.07A of the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2023. Stakeholders may submit comments and suggestions on the Guidelines within 30 days from the date of issuance of this Trade Notice, through email at [email protected]. This is issued with the approval of the Competent Authority. Ramesh Kumar Verma Joint Director General of Foreign Trade (Issued from F. No. 01/02/52/AM-26/EPM) ANNEXURE I POLICY FRAMEWORK GLOBAL OUTREACH FOR BRANDING, LABELLING AND EXPORT PACKAGIN....
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....olutions aligned with international market standards in foreign languages; development of digital brand presence including websites and social media channels; overseas product demonstrations, brand promotion events; and other initiatives that contribute to enhancing international visibility, credibility and market access of Indian goods and services. c. The Operational and Procedural Guidelines, including eligibility conditions, application and claim procedures, reporting and monitoring requirements, and verification mechanisms, are prescribed in ANNEXURE-II enclosed. ANNEXURE II OPERATIONAL AND PROCEDURAL GUIDELINES FOR GLOBAL OUTREACH FOR BRANDING, LABELLING & EXPORT PACKAGING 1. Eligibility a. The following organisations and agencies shall be eligible under this initiative: i. Central Government and State Governments departments and organisations ii. Offices and agencies of the Department of Commerce, including regional offices iii. Ministry of External Affairs and Indian Missions Abroad iv. Export Promotion Councils and Commodity Boards recognised under Appendix 2T of the FTP v. Other Industry Associatio....
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....rkets: Launch of Unified Brand India in a mix of established, underserved and new markets to learn fast and refine the framework before broader scale-up. vii. Cross-Sector Coupling: Strategic coupling of Tourism with Handicrafts, GIs and Gems & Jewellery to generate pull-through demand from cultural visitors in international markets. viii. Voluntary Participation: The participation in the framework will be voluntary in nature; there will be provisions in place for audit and re-certification to lock in quality at source and maintain the credibility of the Unified Brand India identity. d. Trust Mark i. The Unified Brand India umbrella shall be anchored by a Trust Mark. It will be a multi-tier, audit-led certification mechanism that shall serve as the credibility marker, distinguishing Unified Brand India in international markets. The Trust Mark shall be a verifiable, quality-linked mark that exporters must earn before carrying the Unified Brand India identity, and shall signal consistent quality, origin and traceability for Indian products and services to global consumers and buyers. ii. The Trust Mark shall be structured across three or m....
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.... competitive advantages in identified international markets. 3. Convergence of Ongoing Initiatives The initiative shall be operationalised through a whole-of-government delivery approach, with distinct and non-overlapping roles assigned to the following Ministries and Departments: a. Department of Commerce / DGFT (Coordinator): may convene the Brand India Committee, coordinate convergence of ongoing brand-related initiatives across Ministries and Departments and deliver branding support under the Export Promotion Mission. b. DPIIT: may align country-brand efforts with the Make in India and Production Linked Incentive frameworks, ensuring coherence across domestic and export-facing brand initiatives. c. Ministry of External Affairs: Indian Missions abroad may deliver market intelligence, facilitate due diligence for approved projects, host roadshows and curated buyer engagement events, and support on-ground activations in their respective jurisdictions. d. Ministry of MSME: may onboard MSME exporters into the Trust Mark system, and build design, packaging and branding capacity among small and medium enterprises to enhance their participation....
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....following activities: a. Support for Unified Brand India Global Campaigns i. Development of Trust Mark: Support for development of framework, guidelines, online monitoring systems, project management and other related activities for creation and operationalisation of trust marks. ii. Global Multimedia Campaigns: undertaking print, television, OTT, cinema and out- of-home advertising in identified target markets, anchored on the Unified Brand India narrative and visual identity guidelines. iii. Digital and social media: implementing always-on social media presence, influencer- led content, geo-targeted digital advertising and search marketing, deployed continuously across identified digital platforms in priority markets. iv. Country-Specific Campaigns: developing tailored creative and messaging for priority markets including the United States, European Union, United Kingdom, Gulf, ASEAN, Africa and Latin America, adapted to local consumer preferences and cultural contexts. v. Storytelling and Heritage Campaigns: developing and disseminating brand storytelling films and content highlighting India's strengths in innovation, her....
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....kets. iii. Branding campaigns through product catalogues, brochures and other relevant media platforms for promoting sector brands in international markets. iv. Branding campaigns through social and digital media platforms, including social networking websites, online marketplaces, e-commerce platforms, digital advertising networks and other electronic channels relevant to the identified target markets. v. Outdoor campaigns through digital screens, motion displays and other promotional formats at retail outlets or prominent spaces such as airports, tourist destinations, trade centres and other high-footfall locations in international markets. vi. Creation of sector-specific digital platforms or microsites highlighting product offerings, sector strengths and export capabilities. vii. Development of exporter branding toolkits, digital content libraries and standardised promotional assets that can be accessed and utilised by exporters, industry associations and Export Promotion Councils (EPCs). viii. Development of a crisis communication protocol and rapid response framework for managing reputational risks to the Unified Brand Indi....
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....Proposals should clearly specify objectives, target markets, beneficiaries, implementation arrangements, estimated costs and measurable outcomes. e. Proposals should also clearly specify the list of various tools to be used for the campaign, along with the duration of the campaign. f. Multiple proposals may be received, and the most suitable proposals may be recommended for approval based on the evaluation criteria. 8. Evaluation of Proposals a. Evaluation will be done based on qualitative and strategic parameters, including innovativeness in branding strategy and/or packaging, replicability and scalability of the proposed initiative, duration and coverage of campaigns across multiple platforms, alignment with identified target markets, adherence to the Unified Brand India framework, and the development of branding, labelling or packaging assets and templates for the identified product category. b. Operational and impact-related parameters, including the background and experience of vendors or associates engaged for the campaigns, institutional capacity of the participating agency, financial viability of the project, level of audience engageme....
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....tain appropriate books of account/record of expenses along with audited financial statements in accordance with applicable law and shall make such records available for inspection or audit, as required. b. At the time of submission of a proposal, the eligible entities shall furnish a self- certification confirming that they are not under investigation, charged, prosecuted, debarred, or blacklisted under the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992 or any other applicable law relating to international trade. Any material change in such status shall be promptly disclosed. Non-disclosure may render the proposal ineligible or attract appropriate action. c. The Eligible entities shall furnish an undertaking that assistance sought under this component is not being availed for the same project or expenditure under any other scheme of the Government of India. d. At the time of final submission of accounts, the entities shall furnish a duly signed Certificate of Disclosure of Interest certifying that no conflict of interest existed in relation to contracts or engagements funded under this initiative and that all procurements complied with applicable fi....
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....res shall be taken. ANNEXURE III GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE FOR GLOBAL OUTREACH FOR BRANDING, LABELLING & EXPORT PACKAGING 1. Brand India Committee for a Unified Brand India Framework a. The formation of the Unified Brand India Framework aims to bring convergence in these efforts and integrate them into a single, coherent branding framework to establish a consistent global image for India and provide stronger global visibility and recognition to Indian brands. b. A Brand India Committee will be constituted for developing the unified Brand India framework with defined objectives, recommending activities under this intervention and monitoring of implementation. c. The composition shall be as follows: S. No. Officer Concerned Position 1. Director General of Foreign Trade Chairperson 2. CEO, India Brand Equity Foundation Vice- Chairperson 3. Representative from Brand India Cell, DPIIT (not below the rank of Joint Secretary) Member 4. Deputy CEO, India Brand Equity Foundation Member 7. Representative from the Economic Diplomacy Division, Ministry of External Affairs (not below the rank of Joint Secretary....
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....er engagement in the concerned market. e. Indian Missions Abroad may provide guidance on localisation aspects, including branding norms, visibility requirements and suitability of locations, consistent with local laws and practices. f. Indian Missions Abroad may submit structured post-implementation feedback through the online system, including observations on utilisation, market response, monitoring the impact of branding activities, and scope for improvement, as part of monitoring and evaluation. g. On-ground monitoring of approved projects may be undertaken jointly by the concerned Indian Mission Abroad and the implementing entity. The implementing entity shall, inter alia, maintain updated project data on the prescribed online system, submit periodic performance and outcome reports, and monitor performance of project partners and service providers. 3. Monitoring and Impact Measurement a. The impact of activities supported under this component shall be assessed by the Committee through periodic monitoring and evaluation based on measurable outcomes and performance indicators. b. Monitoring may include assessment of export growth in....
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....e Memorandum & Articles of Association (MoA/AoA) CA Audited Financial Statements for the last 3 financial years 2. Name of the Project Proposal A short, descriptive title for the proposed branding project (preferably under 20 words). 2A. Sector and Product Category • Priority sector (from the notified list) • Product category/categories with HS codes • GI tag / existing quality mark, if any 3. List of the Activities to be carried out as part of the Project Itemise the principal activities: e.g., development of sector sub-brand and brand assets, multimedia/digital campaigns, packaging and labelling design, trade-fair pavilions, buyer-seller meets, microsites, exporter toolkits. Each activity should map to a deliverable and a cost head in Item 8. 4. Brief write-up on the entity's area of operation / extent of experience/relevance to objectives/justification for availing support Describe the applicant's area of operation and export footprint; (years, key markets, indicative sectoral export turnover); and explain the relevance to intervention objectives and the justification for availing support. Limit to ~3....
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....mes of the Project 14. Financial Structuring of the Project • Grants Required under the Component • Other debt/Terms loan availed 15. Expected outcome of the project and key metrics for monitoring and evaluation 16. Previous experience in conducting marketing activities • Y/N • A brief profile of marketing, branding, or promotional activities undertaken over the past two years, supported by: • Details of major activity or campaign, objective, target market (domestic/international), sector covered, and period of execution, budget, geographies covered, and channels used (exhibitions, trade fairs, digital campaigns, buyer-seller meets, etc.). • Outcomes achieved - quantifiable results such as export orders generated, enquiries received, market access secured, or brand visibility metrics, with supporting evidence where available. • Documentary proof - sanction letters, completion certificates, client/ partner references, work orders, or any government/industry body endorsements. Declaration I/We hereby declare and certify that, as on the date of submiss....
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.... • Detailed project plan (location, size, cost, operational/implementation model) • Partnership MoU, if applicable • Details of the Product Category/Categories to be impacted by the Project • List of exporters IEC-wise, including the number of MSMEs, if available • Branding strategy (target countries and product categories, with rationale) • Need for Branding/Labelling/Packaging support and anticipated uptick of the product group under consideration • Cost estimation and cost break-up • Designing of Branding / Labelling / Packaging assets • Dissemination over various media platforms • Duration of campaign; Cost associated with hiring of consultants/agency • Cost associated with any licenses required for executing the project activities, etc. • *Details of the Agreement with the concerned parties and details of the partners, including: • Social media influencers, • Websites, Blogs, Vlogs, etc. • Newspapers/Magazines, any other print media platforms • Location for product demonstrations....