Brand India Scheme: Who Can Apply and Who Cannot

Verified as on 8 October 2026 against DGFT Trade Notice No. 12/2026-27 dated 14 July 2026 with Annexures I to V, the DGFT trade notice list up to No. 29/2026-27 and UP Government Order No. 811/18-4-2025 dated 6 November 2025. Written by Pratham Agarwal, Founder, Rasp International.

Brand India scheme: key facts at a glance

Why we wrote this guide

Trade Notice 12/2026-27 allows sector projects of up to Rs 10 crore each under Annexure II, paragraph 6(b), yet no single exporter can receive that money directly. The trap is waiting. A UP exporter who holds back a claim in the hope of Brand India money can lose the 120-day window that Government Order 811 dated 6 November 2025 gives for website, catalogue and fair costs.

Since July, exporters have asked Rasp International whether they can apply for their own brand. This guide answers from the notice text, then shows what a single exporter can claim.

What is the Brand India global outreach scheme

The Brand India scheme is a central grant intervention that funds branding, labelling, export packaging and promotion campaigns run by eligible organisations, administered by DGFT under the Niryat Disha sub-scheme of the Export Promotion Mission. DGFT put it in force with immediate effect through Trade Notice 12/2026-27 dated 14 July 2026.

The Export Promotion Mission is a central export support programme that the Union Cabinet approved on 12 November 2025 with an outlay of Rs 25,060 crore for FY 2025-26 to FY 2030-31, according to the PIB release of that date. Niryat Protsahan covers trade finance; Niryat Disha covers non-financial support such as branding and market access. Our guide to EPM, Niryat Protsahan and Niryat Disha maps every intervention.

The Brand India Committee is the body that develops the Unified Brand India Framework, recommends activities and monitors implementation under Annexure III, paragraph 1 of Trade Notice 12/2026-27. The Director General of Foreign Trade chairs the Brand India Committee, with the CEO of India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF) as vice-chairperson.

Two tiers of branding

Annexure II, paragraph 2 of Trade Notice 12/2026-27 sets two tiers. Tier 1 is the Unified Brand India Framework: one national story, logo system and shared assets. Tier 2 is sectoral branding by export promotion councils (EPCs), commodity boards, associations, state agencies, clusters and district export hubs, within the national identity (Tier 2(c)).

Two funding windows

Illustrative example: applying paragraph 6(b)(ii) to five round project sizes shows the Rs 10 crore cap biting above Rs 20 crore of cost.

A brand equity measurement plan is a pre-campaign and post-campaign study of brand awareness, recall and perception among target buyers, compulsory for campaign budgets above Rs 1 crore under Annexure II, paragraph 8(d) of Trade Notice 12/2026-27.

The Trust Mark

The Trust Mark is a voluntary, multi-tier, audit-led certification that exporters must earn before carrying the Unified Brand India identity, under Annexure II, paragraph 2, Tier 1(d) of Trade Notice 12/2026-27. The Trust Mark will have three or more tiers, periodic audit and re-certification, and its fees are waived for an initial two years with provision for extension (Tier 1(d)(iv)).

Who can apply and what Brand India money can pay for

This table lists every applicant type and cost head named in Annexures II and IV of Trade Notice 12/2026-27, with the deciding paragraph of Annexure II unless another annexure is named.

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Brand India funding versus UP Government Order 811 for your own brand

Trade Notice 12/2026-27 funds organisations to build sector brands. Government Order 811 is a UP state scheme that reimburses 75% of an MSME exporter’s own fair, publicity, sample and certification costs, up to Rs 25 lakh per unit per financial year under paragraph 4 of Government Order No. 811/18-4-2025 dated 6 November 2025.

Our UP MDA scheme guide covers Government Order 811 in full.

What the notice says versus what gets reported

Five points are often misquoted. The primary source settles each.

The Rs 200 crore figure. Reports present “100% or Rs 200 crore” as open to councils or exporters. Annexure II, paragraph 6(a) ties it to multi-year central campaigns executed by government agencies; associations get up to 50%, capped at Rs 10 crore (paragraph 6(b)(ii)). The notice does not say whether “or” means whichever is lower.

The duplicate funding rule. Paragraph 10(c) of Annexure II mentions other Government of India schemes only. The Annexure IV declaration (item 5) and the Annexure V certificate (item 4) add State Government schemes, so follow the stricter wording.

The annexures. Paragraph 4 of the notice lists Annexures I to III, yet the PDF also carries Annexure IV (proposal format) and Annexure V (utilisation certificate). Check your copy has all five.

Incorporated or registered. Paragraph 1(b) says “incorporated in India”, but Annexure IV item 1A accepts a “Registration Certificate”. Societies and trusts should confirm in writing.

To verify, keep the PDF from dgft.gov.in, a dated copy of the trade notice list and any written clarification.

Brand India eligibility in detail

Eligibility under Trade Notice 12/2026-27 depends on who the applicant is, not on export turnover. References are to Annexure II.

Who qualifies

• Central or State Government departments and organisations (1(a)(i)).
• Department of Commerce offices and agencies, including regional offices (1(a)(ii)).
• The Ministry of External Affairs and Indian Missions abroad (1(a)(iii)).
• Export promotion councils and commodity boards under Appendix 2T of the Foreign Trade Policy (1(a)(iv)).
• Other industry associations (1(a)(v)).
• Clusters, district export hubs and sectoral associations through a lead implementing entity, the body that signs, executes and answers for the project (1(c)).
• In every case: incorporated in India (1(b)), audited books open to inspection (10(a)), a clean self-certification (10(b)) and a no-duplicate-funding undertaking (10(c)).

Who is not eligible

• An individual or merchant exporter on its own account, whatever its legal form (not in 1(a)).
• A foreign body not incorporated in India (1(b)).
• A branding or media agency as applicant; it can only be a vendor (11(c), 11(g)).
• An entity under investigation, prosecuted, debarred or blacklisted under the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act 1992, the Customs Act 1962 or related laws, or with outstanding dues (Annexure IV, declaration 1).
• An entity declared a defaulter under the Foreign Trade Policy (declaration 2).
• A cluster with no lead implementing entity (1(c)).

How a single exporter still benefits, and what it can claim itself

A single exporter gets no cash from Trade Notice 12/2026-27, yet Annexure I, paragraph 1(c) names MSMEs, first-time exporters and start-ups as the groups the initiative serves. The benefit arrives through assets that eligible bodies build.

Seven ways Brand India reaches individual exporters

• Exporter list. Every proposal attaches an IEC-wise (Importer Exporter Code) exporter list with the MSME count (Annexure IV checklist).
• Toolkits. Content libraries and standard promotional assets (Annexure II, 5(a)(xi) and 5(b)(vii)).
• Packaging templates. Destination-ready, translated and recyclable designs (5(b)(ix) to 5(b)(xii)).
• Pavilions. Unified India pavilions at major fairs (5(a)(viii)).
• Buyer discovery. A Brand India website, sector microsites and AI search tools (5(a)(x) and 5(b)(vi)).
• Trust Mark. Voluntary, with fees waived for the first two years (Tier 1(d)(iv)).
• Training. Design, packaging and branding capacity building by NID, the Indian Institute of Packaging, NIFT and IBEF (4(d)).

UP schemes an individual exporter can claim for its own brand

Government Order 811, the Quick Export Development Incentive Scheme, pays a UP MSME exporter 75% of its own spending per category below, within Rs 25 lakh per financial year (paragraph 4), claimed within 120 days of the work (paragraph 5(1)).

Fairs must also pass the organiser test in Government Order 811 paragraphs 3(1)(c) and 3(3)(c), which our UP trade fair subsidy guide explains.

Government Order 874 dated 3 December 2025 adds 75% of first-year fees on an international e-commerce platform, up to Rs 3,00,000, but only on platforms the Authorised Committee notifies; none had been seen as of 8 October 2026. See our e-commerce onboarding guide and export website guide.

Edge cases that decide eligibility

Each case cites the paragraph of Trade Notice 12/2026-27 that settles it.

A private company wants to lead its cluster’s proposal

Annexure II, paragraph 1(c) lets a cluster file through a lead implementing entity but never defines who may lead. A company is not in the paragraph 1(a) list, so a company as lead is not confirmed. The safer lead is a listed body: the sector council, a state agency or an incorporated association.

A new association with less than three years of accounts

Annexure IV, item 1A asks for three years of CA audited statements and item 16 for two years of marketing history. A younger body is not barred but scores poorly on capacity under paragraph 8(b), so it can join under an older lead entity.

A Rs 1.2 crore campaign against a Rs 95 lakh campaign

Under Annexure II, paragraph 8(d), only the Rs 1.2 crore campaign needs a brand equity measurement plan. Illustrative example: at 50%, the grants would be Rs 60 lakh and Rs 47.5 lakh. Splitting a campaign to dodge paragraph 8(d) would sit badly with paragraph 10.

An exporter pays into a sector project and also claims Government Order 811

A member exporter who funds part of an association’s share for a sector catalogue cannot claim that payment under Government Order 811 category 7. Annexure II, paragraph 10(c), the Annexure IV declaration and the order all say one cost, one scheme.

How an eligible body applies, stage by stage

Brand India is a proposal process: money follows an approved project under Trade Notice 12/2026-27, so most work happens before filing.

Stage 1: before you apply

1. Confirm the category. Match a line in Annexure II, paragraph 1(a), or nominate a lead entity under 1(c).
2. Collect entity papers. Registration certificate, MoA and AoA (memorandum and articles of association), three audited years, PAN, GSTIN and Darpan ID.
3. Build the cohort. An IEC-wise exporter list with the MSME count.
4. Fix sector and markets. A priority sector, HS codes and any GI (Geographical Indication) tag or quality mark (Annexure IV, item 2A).
5. Select vendors properly. A fair, documented process under Government of India procurement rules (paragraph 11(g)), with quotations (item 8).

Stage 2: filing the Annexure IV proposal

Annexure IV has 16 items and a six-part declaration. These fields are where proposals slip.

Stage 3: after filing

1. Evaluation. Scored on innovation, scalability, market fit, vendor experience, capacity and export outcomes (Annexure II, paragraph 8).
2. Mission views. Overseas activities may go to the Indian Mission for comment (Annexure III, paragraph 2(a)).
3. Instalments. Two or more, the first after approval; later ones need an Annexure V utilisation certificate (a signed account of earlier spending) and certified progress (paragraph 9).
4. Monitoring and close. Periodic reports, joint Mission monitoring (Annexure III, paragraph 2(g)) and a Certificate of Disclosure of Interest with final accounts (paragraph 10(d)).

The lapse penalty

After approval, unmet objectives make any advance refundable with interest (Annexure II, paragraph 9(f) of Trade Notice 12/2026-27). Missing reports, utilisation certificates or audited accounts can end further assistance and trigger recovery (9(g)); harmful conduct can bring debarment (11(i)).

Fast track: there is none

Trade Notice 12/2026-27 prints no fast track and no decision timeline. Only the most suitable proposals are recommended (Annexure II, paragraph 7(f)), so a complete file is the only shortcut.

Uttar Pradesh sector use cases

All examples are illustrative with round numbers, not real clients. Government Order 811 pays 75% within each cap.

Engineering and metalware, Moradabad

Illustrative example: a Moradabad metalware exporter builds an export website for Rs 1,20,000, and Government Order 811 category 7 pays Rs 90,000, within the Rs 1 lakh cap. Its HS codes decide whether it joins an engineering or a handicrafts council’s Brand India project. Pitfall: a site launched in stages has no clear development date, so get a dated completion note.

Textiles and carpets, Bhadohi

Illustrative example: a Bhadohi carpet exporter pays Rs 4,00,000 stall rent at a qualifying fair abroad and Rs 1,20,000 airfare; Government Order 811 categories 1(a) and 1(b) pay Rs 3,00,000 and Rs 90,000. Brand India adds unified pavilions (paragraph 5(a)(viii)). Pitfall: a fair that fails the organiser test pays nothing.

Handicrafts, Firozabad

Illustrative example: a Firozabad glassware exporter spends Rs 80,000 on printed and digital catalogues, and category 7 pays Rs 60,000, counted from the catalogue invoice date. Translated packaging templates under paragraph 5(b)(x) suit this priority sector. Pitfall: website and catalogue share one Rs 1 lakh category 7 cap.

Food and agriculture

Illustrative example: a UP processed food exporter sends Rs 1,60,000 of free samples; category 8 pays Rs 1,20,000, counted from the first dispatch. Food processing is a priority sector. Pitfall: all samples in one claim must fall in one financial year.

Leather and footwear, Agra

Illustrative example: an Agra footwear exporter books Rs 1,20,000 of space at an international fair in India and spends Rs 30,000 on rail travel. Categories 3(a) and 3(b) pay Rs 75,000 (capped, not Rs 90,000) and Rs 22,500. The exporter should join its council’s IEC list. Pitfall: budgeting at 75% without the cap.

Cautionary tale: the exporter who waited for Brand India

Illustrative composite: a registered Kanpur leather goods exporter launches a Rs 1,20,000 export website on 1 March, then holds the Government Order 811 claim hoping for Brand India money. In July it learns that single exporters are not in Annexure II, paragraph 1.

Counting the day after launch as day 1, day 120 was 29 June. The point of no return was 30 June, when the Rs 90,000 category 7 claim fell outside paragraph 5(1). Track every clock with our UP export subsidy deadlines post and read why registration must come before spending.

How Rasp International handles it

Rasp International uses the same seven steps for associations building proposals and exporters claiming for their own brand.

1. Sort the route. Eligible body or single exporter under Annexure II paragraph 1. The routes differ in forms, money and clocks.
2. Check registrations first. EPB and UPEPC for exporters; incorporation, audits and Darpan ID for associations. A missing registration cannot be fixed later.
3. Map every cost. Each spend goes to one Government Order 811 category or one paragraph 5 cost head. A cost with no home is a cost you carry.
4. Build the file. Invoices, quotations, the IEC list and certifiable milestones. Evaluators score what is written.
5. File in your name. We file in your unit’s or body’s name, with the login held by both teams. You see every step.
6. Run the duplicate-funding check. Each invoice is matched against central and state schemes before anyone signs. A wrong declaration can mean recovery or penal action.
7. Guard the clock and the paper trail. We track 120-day and 15-day windows, and for associations every utilisation and progress certificate. A lapsed window stops the money.

Exporters who want this run all year can talk to our team.

Honest limits

• Brand India will not pay a single exporter. No rupee under Trade Notice 12/2026-27 goes to an individual firm for its own logo, website or campaign.
• Brand India will not fund a whole sector project. The association raises at least half, and all cost above Rs 20 crore, under Annexure II, paragraph 6(b)(ii).
• Brand India will not give you a date to plan around. The notice prints no portal address, no decision timeline and no Trust Mark start date.

What Is Not Yet Notified, Checked on 25 October 2026

• Portal. Paragraph 7(a) gives no address. Market Access support under EPM (guidelines dated 31 December 2025) uses the Trade Connect ePlatform; check whether Brand India will too.
• Final guidelines. Comments closed about 13 August 2026, 30 days from issue by our count. The DGFT list up to No. 29/2026-27 dated 1 October 2026 shows no amending notice.
• Trust Mark. Tiers, audit agency, the fee after the waiver and the start date are not notified.
• Rs 200 crore wording. Whether “100% or Rs 200 crore” means whichever is lower is not stated.
• Other sectors. Whether sectors outside the ten can apply, and at what rate, is not stated.
• Lead entity. Who may lead under paragraph 1(c), and whether a company can, is not defined.
• Darpan ID. Not defined; most likely the ID from the NGO Darpan portal. Confirm before applying.
• Societies and trusts. Whether registration satisfies paragraph 1(b) needs written confirmation.
• Instalments and tax. Instalment shares, GST and income tax treatment are not stated.
• Exporter access. How firms get toolkits, pavilion space or listings, and at what cost, is not set out.

Frequently asked questions

Who can apply for the Brand India scheme?

Under DGFT Trade Notice 12/2026-27 dated 14 July 2026, Annexure II, paragraph 1, applicants are government bodies, Department of Commerce offices, Indian Missions, Appendix 2T export promotion councils and commodity boards, plus other industry associations incorporated in India. Clusters apply through a lead implementing entity.

Can an individual exporter apply for Brand India funding?

No. A proprietorship, partnership, LLP or company exporting on its own account is not in the eligible list in Annexure II, paragraph 1 of Trade Notice 12/2026-27. It benefits through its council’s project, and in Uttar Pradesh claims its own branding costs under Government Order 811.

How much funding does the Brand India scheme give?

Annexure II, paragraph 6 of Trade Notice 12/2026-27 sets two levels. Sector branding projects in priority sectors get up to 50% of eligible expenditure, capped at Rs 10 crore per project. Multi-year central campaigns executed by government agencies get up to 100% or Rs 200 crore.

Is the Trust Mark mandatory for Indian exporters?

No. Annexure II, paragraph 2, Tier 1(d)(iv) of Trade Notice 12/2026-27 makes adoption voluntary. An exporter must earn the Trust Mark before using the Unified Brand India identity, but can export without it. Tiers and launch date were not notified as on 8 October 2026.

What is the Trust Mark fee for exporters?

No fee amount is published. Trade Notice 12/2026-27 says the Trust Mark will be fee-based certification with periodic audit, but fees are waived for an initial two years, with provision for extension. The later fee and the waiver start date are not stated.

Is there an export packaging subsidy for individual exporters in India?

Not under Brand India. Trade Notice 12/2026-27 funds packaging templates, translated labels and recyclable packs inside sector projects of eligible organisations, which single exporters then use. No Government Order 811 category in Uttar Pradesh names packaging design, so confirm coverage before you spend.

Which sectors are covered under Brand India global outreach?

Annexure II, paragraph 2, Tier 2(b) of Trade Notice 12/2026-27 names ten: food processing, textiles and apparel, leather and footwear, handicrafts and GI products, wellness and AYUSH, hospitality and medical tourism, engineering and automotive, gems and jewellery, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.

Is the Brand India grant taxable?

Trade Notice 12/2026-27 says nothing on income tax or GST, and Government Order 811 is equally silent. Treatment depends on how the receiving body or unit accounts for a government grant or reimbursement. Ask your chartered accountant before booking the receipt.

How is Brand India money released to an association?

In two or more instalments under Annexure II, paragraph 9 of Trade Notice 12/2026-27. The first follows approval; later ones need milestones met, an Annexure V utilisation certificate and certified progress. Government Order 811 claims of individual UP exporters are paid by Direct Benefit Transfer instead.

What happens if a Brand India proposal is rejected?

Trade Notice 12/2026-27 prints no appeal route. Paragraph 7(f) of Annexure II says the most suitable proposals may be recommended, so rejection can reflect ranking rather than a defect. Ask for reasons, strengthen the paragraph 8 points and refile later. Help depends on the case.

How long should records be kept for Brand India and Government Order 811?

Annexure II, paragraph 10(a) of Trade Notice 12/2026-27 requires books and audited statements to be kept for inspection or audit, but prints no number of years. Government Order 811 prints no retention period either. Keep records at least as long as your statutory accounts.

Can a Brand India proposal be changed after it is filed?

Trade Notice 12/2026-27 prints no amendment procedure. Paragraph 10(b) of Annexure II requires any material change in investigation or blacklist status to be disclosed promptly. Raise other changes with DGFT in writing and keep the reply. Government Order 811 gives 15 days to correct a claim.

What if I miss the deadline for Brand India or Government Order 811?

Trade Notice 12/2026-27 sets no closing date, since sectors and markets are identified periodically. Government Order 811 is strict: claim within 120 days of the work, counted from the fair end, first sample dispatch, catalogue invoice, website development or certificate date. Late claims fall outside the order.

Can I claim Brand India support and UP MDA for the same cost?

No. Annexure II, paragraph 10(c) of Trade Notice 12/2026-27 and the Annexure IV declaration bar assistance for the same expenditure under another central or state scheme. Government Order 811 likewise bars a similar benefit for the same purpose. Document any split between different invoices clearly.

Do I need a consultant to apply for Brand India or Government Order 811?

No. Neither Trade Notice 12/2026-27 nor Government Order 811 requires one. Eligible bodies can file the Annexure IV proposal and UP exporters can file the order claims themselves. Rasp International prepares and files in the applicant’s own name when engaged, or guides your team.

Your checklist for this week

• Download Trade Notice 12/2026-27 from dgft.gov.in and check that your copy carries Annexures I to V.
• Ask your export promotion council or association whether it is preparing a sector branding proposal, and send your IEC and HS codes for its exporter list.
• Confirm your EPB and UPEPC registration before you book a fair, print a catalogue or build a website.
• List every branding cost from the last 120 days and match each one to a Government Order 811 category before its clock runs out.

About Rasp International

We prepare and file claims and applications end to end in the client unit’s name, or guide clients who prefer to file themselves.

Every client signs a confidentiality agreement and documents stay in encrypted storage. See our UP export subsidy schemes hub.

Sources

1. Tier 1, DGFT: Trade Notice No. 12/2026-27 dated 14 July 2026, F. No. 01/02/52/AM-26/EPM, Annexures I to V. Official PDF.
2. Tier 1, DGFT: Trade notice list, Nos. 01 to 31/2026-27, checked 25 October 2026. DGFT trade notices.
3. Tier 1, DGFT: Scheme guidelines page, entry 12/2026-27 dated 14 July 2026. DGFT scheme guidelines.
4. Tier 1, DGFT: Guidelines for Support for Market Access under EPM, 31 December 2025. Official PDF.
5. Tier 1, PIB: Cabinet approves Export Promotion Mission, 12 November 2025. PIB release.
6. Tier 1, DGFT: Foreign Trade Policy 2023, paragraphs 1.07A and 11.06 and Appendix 2T. dgft.gov.in.
7. Tier 1, Government of Uttar Pradesh: Government Order No. 811/18-4-2025 dated 6 November 2025. No stable public URL; checked against the original.
8. Tier 1, Government of Uttar Pradesh: Government Orders No. 874/18-4-2025 dated 3 December 2025 and No. 684/18-4-2025 dated 3 September 2025. No stable public URL.
9. Tier 2, Export Promotion Council: PLEXCONCIL circular Plexh/Cir/305 dated 17 July 2026 citing No. 12/2026-27. Council circular.

This is general guidance. Rules change. Check the current order or notification, or speak to us, before you act.

Related: Brand India global outreach scheme guide | UP MDA scheme for individual exporters | Export Promotion Mission explained