Trade fair participation and international market entry is expensive — the MAI scheme helps exporters, especially MSMEs, offset that cost through their EPC.
Getting in front of international buyers is expensive — trade fair booths, travel, market research, all of it adds up fast for a smaller exporter. The Market Access Initiative scheme exists specifically to offset that cost.
What MAI Supports
The Market Access Initiative (MAI) Scheme, run by the Department of Commerce, provides financial assistance for export promotion activities that help Indian exporters — especially MSMEs — build genuine market access abroad rather than one-off sales. Typical supported activities include:
- Participation in international trade fairs and exhibitions under the India Pavilion banner
- Buyer-seller meets, including reverse buyer-seller meets where foreign buyers are invited to India — sometimes organised at the district level as part of the Districts as Export Hubs convergence
- Market studies and research to identify viable export markets for specific product categories
- Setting up showrooms, warehousing or common infrastructure in overseas markets in some cases
Who Typically Uses It
MAI assistance usually flows through Export Promotion Councils (EPCs), industry associations, and government trade bodies rather than being claimed directly by an individual exporter in most cases — so the practical starting point is usually your relevant EPC (for example, EEPC for engineering goods, AEPC for apparel, CHEMEXCIL for chemicals) rather than applying to the Department of Commerce directly. If you're not currently a member of your sector's EPC, that membership is generally the first step toward being able to benefit from MAI-supported activities like subsidised trade fair participation.
Why It's Worth Knowing About Even If You Don't Use It Immediately
A lot of smaller exporters assume trade fair participation and structured market entry is only for larger companies who can absorb the cost. MAI exists precisely to close that gap — it's one of the more underused schemes simply because exporters don't realise their EPC is actively running subsidised or co-funded fair participation programmes throughout the year. Checking your sector's EPC calendar for upcoming MAI-supported events is a low-effort way to find out what's currently available.
This article is for general information only. MAI scheme guidelines, funding shares and eligible activities are set by the Department of Commerce and can be revised — confirm current terms with your Export Promotion Council before planning around it.
