The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Ministry of Commerce & Industry, has issued Trade Notice No. 26/2025-26 dated 20 February 2026 announcing the launch of Trade Regulations, Accreditation & Compliance Enablement (TRACE) under the Export Promotion Mission (EPM) – NIRYAT DISHA. Implemented prospectively with immediate effect, TRACE aims to strengthen India’s quality and technical compliance ecosystem and assist MSMEs involved in international value chains in meeting importing-country regulatory requirements. The scheme provides partial reimbursement of eligible expenditure incurred towards testing, inspection, certification, audits, traceability systems, and other conformity-assessment requirements necessary for market access or compliance with internationally recognised standards. The intervention will operate on a pilot basis to enable feedback, institutional learning, and data-driven refinements. The policy framework, operational guidelines, governance structure, and online procedure are provided in annexures. Stakeholders are invited to submit comments within 30 days under Paragraph 1.07A of the Foreign Trade Policy, 2023.
Government of India
Ministry of Commerce & Industry
Department of Commerce
Directorate General of Foreign Trade
Vanijya Bhawan, New Delhi
Trade Notice No. 26/2025-26-DGFT | Dated: 20 February 2026
Subject: Launch of Trade Regulations, Accreditation & Compliance Enablement (TRACE) under Export Promotion Mission (EPM) – NIRYAT DISHA – reg.
The Support for Trade Regulations, Accreditation & Compliance Enablement (TRACE) under Export Promotion Mission (EPM) – NIRYAT DISHA is hereby implemented prospectively with immediate effect.
2. The intervention seeks to strengthen India’s quality and technical compliance ecosystem and to facilitate MSMEs (involved in international value chains) in meeting importing-country regulatory requirements.
3. Support under TRACE shall be limited to partial reimbursement of eligible expenditure incurred by MSMEs (involved in international value chains) towards testing, inspection, certification, audits, traceability systems, and other conformity-assessment requirements that are mandated vide regulations required for market access, or necessary to demonstrate compliance with internationally recognised standards.
4. nThe Policy framework is enclosed as Annexure-I. The Operational and Procedural Guidelines is enclosed at Annexure-II. The Governance Structure is enclosed at Annexure-III
5. The intervention shall be operationalised on a pilot basis for feedback, institutional learning, and data-driven refinements. Online procedure for availing this support is enclosed at Annexure-IV
6. 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 epm-dgft@gov.in
This is issued with the approval of the Competent Authority.
Bharani VLSVSS
Deputy Director General of Foreign Trade
(Issued from F. No. 01/02/33/AM-26/EPM)
