The short answer
Source from India is the buyer discovery section of the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) Trade Connect ePlatform, where an eligible exporter builds its own microsite of products and credentials. Three DGFT trade notices, the latest being Trade Notice 16/2026-27 dated 6 August 2026, open it to status holders, to exporters with US dollars (USD) 100,000 realised in one of the last three financial years and to start-ups recognised by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).
The rule that decides everything: your Trade Connect login must be linked to an eligible Importer Exporter Code (IEC) that is not on the Denied Entity List (DEL), or the “Create Source from India Profile” option never appears (Trade Notice 16/2026-27, Annexure).
Verified as on 19 October 2026 against DGFT Trade Notices 16/2026-27 dated 6 August 2026, 15/2025-26 dated 29 October 2025 and 05/2025-26 dated 13 June 2025, DPIIT Gazette notification G.S.R. (General Statutory Rules) 108(E) dated 4 February 2026, Foreign Trade Policy 2023 paragraph 1.26 and the Source from India page on trade.gov.in. Written by Pratham Agarwal, Founder, Rasp International.
USD 100,000realised in at least one of the previous three financial years, Trade Notice 15/2025-26 para 3
1 November 2025exporters without status became eligible, Trade Notice 15/2025-26 para 3
6 August 2026DPIIT-recognised start-ups added, Trade Notice 16/2026-27
4 stepsto create the microsite, Trade Notice 16/2026-27 Annexure
| Scheme or instrument | Source from India, the exporter microsite feature of the Trade Connect ePlatform at trade.gov.in |
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| Governing body | DGFT, Department of Commerce. Contact on the notice: tradeconnect-dgft@gov.in |
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| Parent policy | The Trade Connect ePlatform. The notices cite no Foreign Trade Policy paragraph |
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| Legal basis | Trade Notice 16/2026-27 dated 6 August 2026, building on Trade Notices 15/2025-26 and 05/2025-26 |
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| Who it is for | Status holders, exporters with a USD 100,000 year in electronic Bank Realisation Certificate (eBRC) data (Trade Notice 15/2025-26) and DPIIT-recognised start-ups |
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| What you get | A public microsite once approved, with “a unique start-up badge” for DPIIT-recognised start-ups (paras 1 and 4) |
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| Validity or deadline | No last date. Eligibility is tested “at the time of application” (Trade Notice 15/2025-26 para 3) |
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| Where you apply | The trade.gov.in dashboard (Annexure) |
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Why we wrote this
The phrase going round is “free government microsite for exporters”. Trade Notice 16/2026-27 is narrower. Source from India helps buyers “discover accomplished Indian Exporters”, and each notice sets a test. An exporter who misses it logs in, sees nothing and blames the portal.
Our export website page covers a site you own. This post covers the government listing and where each fits. Rasp International has served 500+ exporters since 2019 and is ISO 9001:2015 certified.
What Source from India is
Source from India is a buyer discovery service that lets an eligible Indian exporter publish its own microsite of products and credentials for overseas buyers, run by DGFT on the Trade Connect ePlatform under DGFT trade notices.
Trade Connect is the DGFT website at trade.gov.in. DGFT Trade Notice 11/2026-27 dated 13 July 2026 also makes it “the unified digital platform” for electronic certificates of origin. See our certificate of origin guide and our DGFT regulations guide.
- Status holder is a One Star to Five Star Export House. Foreign Trade Policy 2023 paragraph 1.26 sets thresholds from USD 3 million to USD 800 million. See our Star Export House page.
- eBRC is the electronic record that your bank received an export payment. Trade Notice 15/2025-26 para 3 makes the DGFT eBRC database “the sole reference point for realisation data”.
- DEL is DGFT’s list of firms barred from trade benefits. Every route excludes an IEC on it.
- DPIIT-recognised start-up is an entity recognised under Gazette notification G.S.R. 108(E) dated 4 February 2026: a private limited company, registered partnership firm, limited liability partnership or cooperative society, under ten years old, with turnover never above Rs 200 crore in a financial year, working on innovation or a scalable model.
“Microsite” is the official word in Trade Notices 15/2025-26 and 16/2026-27. On 19 October 2026 each listing card on the Source from India page showed the firm name, IEC number, countries exported to, key products, any status holder line and an export performance band such as “100 to 390 USD Thousand”. On that page, buyers filter by star status and by 37 sectors, services included. Start-ups are shown in a separate start-up section of the same page.
Source from India eligibility: 15 situations and the rule for each
| Your situation | The rule | Source |
|---|
| One Star to Five Star Export House | Eligible, with a valid IEC not in the DEL | Trade Notice 05/2025-26 para 4 |
| No status, but USD 100,000 realised in one of the last three financial years | Eligible from 1 November 2025 | Trade Notice 15/2025-26 para 3 |
| About USD 60,000 in each of three years | Not eligible on this route, as we read it. One year must reach USD 100,000 “on a financial year basis” | Trade Notice 15/2025-26 para 3 |
| Shipped but unpaid, or paid with no eBRC on the DGFT system | Does not count. eBRC data is “the sole reference point” | Trade Notice 15/2025-26 para 3 |
| IEC on the Denied Entity List | Not eligible on any route | Trade Notices 05/2025-26 para 4, 15/2025-26 para 3, 16/2026-27 para 5 |
| DPIIT-recognised start-up that passes a test | Eligible with a start-up badge, after an IEC database check of export activity | Trade Notice 16/2026-27 para 4 |
| DPIIT-recognised start-up below the threshold | May register under the “special exception” with an active IEC not on the DEL | Trade Notice 16/2026-27 para 5 |
| Young firm without DPIIT recognition | No exception. Qualify through status or a USD 100,000 year | Trade Notice 16/2026-27 para 5 |
| Sole proprietorship calling itself a start-up | Proprietorships are not in the DPIIT list of entity types, so the exception cannot apply | G.S.R. 108(E) para 1(a)(i) |
| Start-up past ten years or Rs 200 crore turnover | No longer a Startup (Deep Tech limits: 20-year age, Rs 300 crore). The USD 100,000 route remains | G.S.R. 108(E), Explanation to para 1(a) |
| Merchant exporter | The pilot was for manufacturer exporters. The rollout notices set no manufacturer condition | Trade Notice 05/2025-26 paras 3 and 4 |
| Service exporter | The notices do not separate goods and services. The sector filter includes services | Source from India page, 19 October 2026 |
| Login not linked to your IEC | Link it through “Haven’t linked your IEC?” on the trade.gov.in login page | Trade Notice 16/2026-27, Annexure, prerequisite 2 |
| Logged in, but no profile option | It shows “only to users whose profile is linked to an eligible IEC” | Trade Notice 16/2026-27, Annexure, step 2 |
| Asking about the fee | None of the three notices mentions a fee | Trade Notices 05/2025-26, 15/2025-26 and 16/2026-27 |
How Source from India widened: three trade notices compared
Before Trade Notice 05/2025-26, only Three, Four and Five Star manufacturer exporters had been invited, “on a pilot basis” (para 3). Each later notice kept the earlier groups and added one.
| Point | Trade Notice 05/2025-26, 13 June 2025 | Trade Notice 15/2025-26, 29 October 2025 | Trade Notice 16/2026-27, 6 August 2026 |
|---|
| Who can list | All status holders | Adds IECs with a USD 100,000 year | Adds DPIIT-recognised start-ups |
| Start date | Not stated separately | 1 November 2025 | “With effect from publication” |
| Test data | Status recognition | DGFT eBRC database | eBRC test, plus the DGFT IEC database for start-ups |
| DEL bar | Yes | Yes | Yes, including the exception |
| Page name | Micropage | Microsite | Microsite |
| Dashboard option | “My Exporter Showcase” | “Create ‘Source from India’ Profile” | “Create Source from India Profile” |
| Declarations | Not mentioned | “As required” | “As required” |
| Start-up badge | No | No | Yes |
We found no later notice on Source from India in the DGFT trade notice list checked on 25 October 2026.
Rasp International handles DGFT compliance, licensing and policy advisory.
Talk to our team for a free assessment. 500+ exporters served since 2019.
Source from India microsite or your own export website: what each does
A Source from India microsite is a listing in a government directory. An export website is a site you own.
| Point | Source from India microsite | Your own export website |
|---|
| Who can have one | Only exporters on one of the three routes (the three notices) | Any business |
| Address | A profile on trade.gov.in (Annexure, step 4) | Your own domain |
| Approval | Public only “once approved” (Annexure, step 4) | None needed |
| Content | Fields the platform sets: products, export achievements, destinations (Annexure, step 3) | Full specifications, packing, catalogue and an enquiry form |
| Shown on the listing card | IEC number and export performance band (public page, 19 October 2026) | Nothing you do not publish |
| Buyer contact | Not described in the notices | Your form, email and WhatsApp |
| Cost | No fee in any of the three notices | Build and hosting. An Uttar Pradesh micro, small or medium enterprise (MSME) exporter may claim 75 percent, up to Rs 1 lakh, under Government Order 811/18-4-2025, subject to approval and budget |
| Status signals | Government labels: status holder line and start-up badge (para 4) | Only what your certificates back |
Use both. A listing card holds a few lines, so the detail needs a site you control. If a web designer builds it for an Uttar Pradesh unit, see the invoice rules for the Uttar Pradesh website subsidy under Government Order 811/18-4-2025. Our export website service covers the site you own, and our international trade portal guide covers private business to business portals. For the National Small Industries Corporation portal for small firms, see our MSME Global Mart membership guide.
What most people get wrong about Trade Notice 16/2026-27
“Every exporter gets a free government website.” The notices say Source from India is for “accomplished Indian Exporters” and set a test for each route. None uses the word free.
“USD 100,000 over three years.” Trade Notice 15/2025-26 para 3 asks for USD 100,000 “in at least one of the previous three financial years”, on “aggregate eBRC value”. One year must reach it alone, and only money received counts.
“Any start-up can list.” Para 5 of Trade Notice 16/2026-27 limits the exception to “DPIIT-recognized start-ups” that “hold an active IEC and are not included in the DEL list”.
“The embassy will send me buyers.” Para 8 says only that Indian Missions Abroad are “duly sensitised” to use Source from India “as a reference point”. It sets no target.
Where the official documents do not match
- Who gets verified. Trade Notice 16/2026-27 para 4 applies the IEC database check to start-ups that meet the criteria, and para 5 is silent. Press Information Bureau (PIB) release ID 2296253 of 7 August 2026 puts the check on the exception group.
- Who it is open to. The public page says “Open to all accomplished exporters with a valid Importer-Exporter Code”. The notices set narrower tests.
- Buyer contact. PIB says buyers can “connect with them directly”. The notices do not say how.
Who qualifies and who does not
- Every route: a valid, active IEC not on the DEL, linked to your Trade Connect login (Annexure).
- Route 1: One Star to Five Star Export House status (Trade Notice 05/2025-26 para 4).
- Route 2: USD 100,000 realised in at least one of the previous three financial years in eBRC data (Trade Notice 15/2025-26 para 3).
- Route 3: DPIIT recognition as a start-up (Trade Notice 16/2026-27 paras 4 and 5).
- An IEC on the Denied Entity List.
- No status, no DPIIT recognition and no single year at USD 100,000 in eBRC data (Trade Notice 15/2025-26).
- Realisations that never became eBRCs.
- A sole proprietorship relying on the start-up exception.
- A firm past ten years or Rs 200 crore turnover relying on the start-up route (G.S.R. 108(E)).
Edge cases and how the notices treat them
Your only strong year is about to drop out
Trade Notice 15/2025-26 para 3 counts “the previous three financial years at the time of application”. As we read it, an application in 2026-27 looks at 2023-24 to 2025-26. On that reading, 2023-24 falls away from 1 April 2027. If it was your only USD 100,000 year, apply before 31 March 2027.
Two IECs in one business group
Trade Notice 15/2025-26 speaks of “all valid IECs” meeting the test, and nothing in it lets two IECs add their eBRCs together. For status, Foreign Trade Policy 2023 paragraph 1.28(a) also bars moving export performance between IECs.
A start-up that outgrows its recognition
G.S.R. 108(E) ends Startup status after ten years or Rs 200 crore turnover in a year. Trade Notice 16/2026-27 does not say what then happens to the badge. A firm with a qualifying eBRC year stays eligible on that route.
Rasp International handles DGFT compliance, licensing and policy advisory.
Talk to our team for a free assessment. 500+ exporters served since 2019.
How to create a Source from India profile, step by step
- Pick your route. Status holder, a qualifying eBRC year or DPIIT-recognised start-up. If none fits, stop.
- Check your eBRC totals. Use DGFT eBRC data for each of the last three financial years, not your own books.
- Update your IEC. Confirm it is active, off the DEL and current. See our IEC guide.
- Log in. Use the email linked to the eligible IEC. DGFT portal credentials work, with “no need to re-register” (Trade Notice 16/2026-27, Annexure).
- Link the IEC if needed. Use “Haven’t linked your IEC?” on the trade.gov.in login page. DGFT linking uses a Type 2 or Type 3 digital signature certificate or Aadhaar e-sign (Trade Notice 05/2025-26, Annexure).
- Fill and submit. Click “Create Source from India Profile”, enter your export achievements and declarations and submit for approval.
The profile goes public “once approved”. The notices give no approval time and no appeal route. The lapse rule: there is no last date, but your qualifying year can age out. The fast track: none exists. Eligible linked users “automatically see the option” (Trade Notice 15/2025-26 para 4).
Five groups Trade Notice 16/2026-27 affects
| Group | What the notices allow | The pitfall |
|---|
| Star Export Houses | A microsite with the status holder line (Trade Notice 05/2025-26) | Login not linked to the IEC |
| Exporters without status | A microsite with one USD 100,000 year (Trade Notice 15/2025-26) | Realisations missing from eBRC data |
| DPIIT start-ups that pass the test | A microsite with the start-up badge | Forgetting the IEC database check in para 4 |
| DPIIT start-ups below the test | Registration under the special exception | A proprietorship cannot be DPIIT-recognised |
| Export Promotion Councils and associations | Asked “to give wide publicity” (para 9) | Calling it open to all |
Illustrative composite, not a client: An engineering partnership realised about USD 120,000 in 2023-24, then about USD 70,000 in each of the next three years. It logged in on 10 April 2027. The years now in view were 2024-25 to 2026-27, none at USD 100,000, so the option never appeared. The point of no return was 31 March 2027.
How Rasp International helps
Rasp International does Source from India listing work for clients. We check which route fits, compare your eBRC record with the Trade Notice 15/2025-26 test, link the IEC and prepare the profile for you to approve. We file on the client’s behalf in the client unit’s name, and give an authority letter only when a client asks. The client and we both hold the portal logins, kept safe and confidential. We sign an NDA (non-disclosure agreement) and an SLA (service level agreement) with every client. Approval stays with DGFT. If a buyer also asks for a D-U-N-S Number, a private identifier outside Source from India, see our D-U-N-S Number guide for Indian exporters. For buyers beyond the listing, see our overseas buyer research page.
Honest limits
- It will not bring orders on its own. Trade Notice 16/2026-27 para 8 makes Source from India a reference point for Indian Missions Abroad. No notice promises an enquiry.
- It will not replace your own website. The platform sets the fields, and the page sits on trade.gov.in, not on your domain.
- It will not check the buyer who contacts you. None of the notices screens buyers, so run your own checks on a new overseas buyer before you ship.
What Is Not Yet Notified, Checked on 19 October 2026
- Fees. No notice mentions a fee or rules one out later. Check with the DGFT Trade Connect team at tradeconnect-dgft@gov.in.
- Approval time and office. The annexure names neither. Check with the DGFT Trade Connect team at tradeconnect-dgft@gov.in.
- Buyer contact. Whether a microsite shows contact details or an enquiry form is not stated. Check with the DGFT Trade Connect team at tradeconnect-dgft@gov.in.
- Later changes. Whether a profile stays live after the qualifying year ages out is not stated. Check with the DGFT Trade Connect team at tradeconnect-dgft@gov.in.
- Start-ups with no exports. Para 4 speaks of “verification of their export activity” and para 5 is silent. Check with the DGFT Trade Connect team at tradeconnect-dgft@gov.in.
- Old profiles and edits. Whether 2025 pages or edits need fresh approval is not stated. Check with the DGFT Trade Connect team at tradeconnect-dgft@gov.in.
Frequently asked questions
What is Source from India on Trade Connect?
Source from India is a DGFT buyer discovery service on the Trade Connect ePlatform at trade.gov.in. An eligible exporter creates its own microsite of products, export destinations and credentials, which overseas buyers can filter. DGFT Trade Notice 16/2026-27 dated 6 August 2026 is the latest rule.
Who is eligible for Source from India?
Every applicant needs a valid IEC that is not on the Denied Entity List. Then one route must apply: Star Export House status, a USD 100,000 year in eBRC data within the previous three financial years or DPIIT start-up recognition. Trade Notices 05/2025-26, 15/2025-26 and 16/2026-27 set these.
Is there a fee to list on Source from India?
None of the three DGFT trade notices on Source from India mentions a fee: Trade Notice 05/2025-26, Trade Notice 15/2025-26 or Trade Notice 16/2026-27. The public page showed no fee when we checked on 19 October 2026. Whether a fee could apply later is not stated, so ask tradeconnect-dgft@gov.in.
How do I create a Source from India profile on trade.gov.in?
Log in to trade.gov.in with the email linked to your eligible IEC. Click “Create Source from India Profile” on your dashboard. Fill in your export achievements, give the declarations the form asks for and submit for approval. The profile goes public once approved, as the annexure to Trade Notice 16/2026-27 sets out.
Why can’t I see the Create Source from India Profile option?
The option shows only to users whose Trade Connect profile is linked to an eligible IEC, says the annexure to Trade Notice 16/2026-27. Check that the IEC is linked to your login, that it is off the Denied Entity List and that you meet one of the three routes.
Does the USD 100,000 rule count shipments or payments received?
Payments received. Trade Notice 15/2025-26 para 3 speaks of “export realisation” and makes the DGFT eBRC database “the sole reference point”. Eligibility uses aggregate eBRC value per financial year. A shipment the buyer has not paid for, or a payment with no eBRC on the DGFT system, does not count.
Can a DPIIT start-up with no exports join Source from India?
Possibly. Trade Notice 16/2026-27 para 5 lets DPIIT-recognised start-ups register “even if they do not meet the eligibility criteria”, provided they hold an active IEC not on the Denied Entity List. Para 4 mentions verification of export activity, so a start-up with no shipments yet should confirm with tradeconnect-dgft@gov.in first.
Can a sole proprietorship get the Source from India start-up badge?
Not through DPIIT recognition. Gazette notification G.S.R. 108(E) dated 4 February 2026 defines a Startup as a private limited company, registered partnership firm, limited liability partnership or cooperative society. A proprietorship is not on that list. It can still qualify as a status holder or through the eBRC route.
Do I need a separate login for Trade Connect?
No. The annexure to Trade Notice 16/2026-27 says users already registered on the DGFT portal can use the same credentials on Trade Connect, and “there is no need to re-register”. Your login must still be linked to your IEC before the Source from India option appears on your dashboard.
Does my HS code or product decide Source from India eligibility?
No. None of the three trade notices ties Source from India to a Harmonized System (HS) code or a product. Eligibility depends on your IEC, status, eBRC realisation or DPIIT recognition. Your products appear on the microsite, and the public page lets buyers filter by 37 sectors, including services.
Is any exporter barred from Source from India?
Yes. Every route needs an IEC that is not on the Denied Entity List, DGFT’s list of firms barred from trade benefits. Trade Notice 05/2025-26 says “valid IECs not in DEL”, Trade Notice 15/2025-26 says “IECs that are not in DEL” and Trade Notice 16/2026-27 para 5 repeats it.
Will Indian embassies send buyers to my Source from India microsite?
No notice promises that. Trade Notice 16/2026-27 para 8 says Indian Missions Abroad have been “sensitised” to use Source from India as a reference point when foreign buyers ask them for Indian suppliers. That can bring your microsite into view. It sets no target and no number of enquiries.
Can a Source from India microsite replace my own export website?
No. The microsite sits on trade.gov.in, needs DGFT approval and uses fields the platform sets. Your own website sits on your domain and carries full specifications, packing details, catalogues and an enquiry form. Use the microsite as an official listing that points buyers toward you, not as your only page online.
Do I need a consultant to list on Source from India?
No. The annexure to Trade Notice 16/2026-27 sets out four steps you can follow yourself. A consultant helps when your IEC is not linked, your eBRC data looks short of the Trade Notice 15/2025-26 test or you are unsure which route fits. The approval decision stays with DGFT either way.
What happens if my Source from India profile has wrong details?
Trade Notice 16/2026-27 sets no penalty, but you give declarations when you submit, so treat every figure as one you must prove. To correct a profile, use “Manage Source from India Profile” under “My Dashboard”. The notices do not say whether edits need fresh approval, so ask tradeconnect-dgft@gov.in.
Your checklist for this week
- Total your eBRC realisations for each of the last three financial years on the DGFT system.
- Log in to trade.gov.in with your DGFT credentials and confirm your IEC is linked.
- Find your DPIIT recognition certificate if you are a start-up, and check your firm type against G.S.R. 108(E).
- List your products, export destinations and certificates for the profile form.
Sources
- Tier 1. DGFT Trade Notice No. 16/2026-27 dated 6 August 2026, start-ups under Source from India, with Annexure: content.dgft.gov.in.
- Tier 1. DGFT Trade Notice No. 15/2025-26 dated 29 October 2025, revised Source from India eligibility: content.dgft.gov.in.
- Tier 1. DGFT Trade Notice No. 05/2025-26 dated 13 June 2025, Source from India for status holders: content.dgft.gov.in.
- Tier 1. DGFT Trade Notice No. 11/2026-27 dated 13 July 2026, electronic certificates of origin on Trade Connect: content.dgft.gov.in.
- Tier 1. DPIIT Gazette notification G.S.R. 108(E) dated 4 February 2026, definition of Startup: egazette.gov.in.
- Tier 1. Foreign Trade Policy 2023, Chapter 1, paragraphs 1.25 to 1.28 on status holders: content.dgft.gov.in.
- Tier 1. PIB release ID 2296253 dated 7 August 2026, Ministry of Commerce and Industry: pib.gov.in.
- Tier 1. Source from India page, Trade Connect ePlatform, seen 19 October 2026: trade.gov.in.
- Tier 1. DGFT trade notice list, checked 25 October 2026: dgft.gov.in.
- Tier 1. Government of Uttar Pradesh, Government Order 811/18-4-2025 dated 6 November 2025, row 7: upepc.org.
This is general guidance. Rules change. Check the current notification or order, or speak to us, before you act.
Related: Export website for exporters | Certificate of origin on trade.gov.in | Export Promotion Mission schemes and trade notices
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