Last Updated: October 27, 2026 by Pratham Agarwal, Rasp International
The short answer
Market Access Support (MAS) is central government funding for buyer seller meets, trade fairs, exhibitions, reverse buyer seller meets and trade delegations, launched by Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) Trade Notice 19/2025-26 dated 31 December 2025. Organising agencies such as Export Promotion Councils apply on the Trade Connect ePlatform and receive the grant, up to Rs 5 crore per fair under paragraph 6.2(d). Exporters take part through an agency they belong to.
The rule that decides everything: an exporter must have been a member of the organising agency for at least six months before the event, under draft Handbook of Procedures (HBP) paragraph X.5(b) in Trade Notice 19/2025-26.
Verified as on 27 October 2026 against DGFT Trade Notices 19/2025-26 dated 31 December 2025, 08/2026-27 dated 1 July 2026 and 12/2026-27 dated 14 July 2026, Uttar Pradesh Government Order 811/18-4-2025 dated 6 November 2025 and Press Information Bureau releases of 12 November 2025 and 31 December 2025. Written by Pratham Agarwal, Founder, Rasp International.
Rs 5 crore
ceiling per buyer seller meet or trade fair, paragraph 6.2(d), Trade Notice 19/2025-26
80%
government share for priority sectors, paragraph 6.2(e), Trade Notice 19/2025-26
25
minimum delegation for a buyer seller meet, Trade Notice 08/2026-27
15 days
to file an airfare claim after return to India, paragraph 6.2(g)(iv), Trade Notice 19/2025-26
| Scheme | Market Access Support (MAS) |
|---|
| Part of | Niryat Disha, the non-financial side of the Export Promotion Mission (EPM) |
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| Run by | DGFT, through the Sub-Committee on Market Access and the EPM Section as its secretariat (Operational Guidelines 1.1) |
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| Legal basis | Trade Notice 19/2025-26 (pilot, draft HBP Chapter X), amended by Trade Notice 08/2026-27 |
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| Who it is for | Organising agencies apply. Exporters take part as their members |
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| What you get | A government share of event cost, and partial airfare for small exporters (draft HBP X.5(o)) |
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| Cap | Rs 5 crore per fair, Rs 10 crore per reverse buyer seller meet and Rs 5 crore per trade delegation (6.2(d), 6.3(g) and 6.4(d)) |
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| Validity or window | FY 2025-31 (draft HBP X.5(m)); reports and airfare claims within 15 days (6.1(b) and 6.2(g)(iv)) |
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| Where you apply | Trade Connect ePlatform, trade.gov.in |
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Why this page exists
The Press Information Bureau release of 31 December 2025 benchmarked delegations at a minimum of 50 participants. DGFT Trade Notice 08/2026-27 dated 1 July 2026 cut it to 25 for a buyer seller meet. Paragraph 2.6(g) of the Operational Guidelines releases the grant to organising agencies, not to exporters.
Rasp International is an ISO 9001:2015 certified export and import (EXIM) and DGFT advisory firm founded in 2019 that has served 500 plus exporters. This page sets out the rules for both sides.
What Market Access Support is
Market Access Support is an event funding intervention that pays part of the cost of buyer seller meets (BSMs), trade fairs, exhibitions, reverse buyer seller meets (RBSMs, where overseas buyers come to India) and trade delegations for Indian exporters, run by DGFT under the Niryat Disha sub-scheme of the Export Promotion Mission.
The Press Information Bureau release of 12 November 2025 says the EPM consolidates the earlier Market Access Initiative (MAI). The guidelines remain a draft under consultation under paragraph 1.07A of the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2023. See our guide to every EPM scheme.
What you get under MAS
The government pays 60 percent of approved cost, or 80 percent for priority sectors, and the agency and exhibitors bear the rest (paragraphs 6.2(e), 6.3(h) and 6.4(e)).
| Event type | Ceiling | What the grant covers | Main conditions |
|---|
| BSM, trade fair or exhibition, in India or abroad | Rs 5 crore, paragraph 6.2(d) | Venue and participation charges, publicity, catalogues, interpreters and freight for exhibits, paragraph 6.2(f) | At least 25 participants (Trade Notice 08/2026-27); at least 35 percent Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) (X.5(i)); airfare for up to 35 percent of delegates (6.2(g)(ii)) |
| Reverse buyer seller meet | Rs 10 crore, paragraph 6.3(g) | Venue, publicity, catalogues, interpreters and buyer hospitality, paragraph 6.3(k) | At least 100 overseas participants (X.6(c)); buyer list final three weeks before (6.3(i)); buyer airfare ceilings of Rs 75,000, or Rs 1,25,000 from Africa, the Americas and Oceania, shared at “75% of ceiling or actuals, whichever is lower” (6.3(l)) |
| Trade delegation abroad | Rs 5 crore, paragraph 6.4(d) | Participation charges, publicity, catalogues, interpreters and freight, paragraph 6.4(f) | Markets without major BSMs, on the Indian Mission’s recommendation (X.7(a)); 35 percent MSMEs (X.7(i)); airfare for up to 40 percent of delegates (6.4(g)(ix)) |
Priority sectors (paragraph 5) include agriculture and food, handicrafts, handlooms, leather and toys, plus eleven services sectors.
Airfare support for the exporter
Airfare support depends on the exporter’s previous year export turnover (X.5(o)) and covers economy class for a Director, Partner, Proprietor or full-time senior manager who is an Indian national (paragraph 6.2(g)). For trade delegations, paragraph 6.4(g) gives the higher ceilings to Africa and the American continents only.
| Export turnover last year | Share of economy fare | Ceiling: Africa, Americas, Oceania | Ceiling: other markets |
|---|
| Zero | 50 percent, 6.2(g)(vi) | Rs 80,000 | Rs 45,000 |
| Up to Rs 75 lakh | 80 percent, 6.2(g)(vii) | Rs 1,25,000 | Rs 75,000 |
| Above Rs 75 lakh | None, X.5(o) | Not available | Not available |
Two texts disagree: paragraph 6.2(g)(vii) for BSMs caps the 80 percent band at “75% of the airfare”, while paragraph 6.4(g)(xiv) for trade delegations says 80 percent. Illustrative example: a Rs 1,00,000 fare to Africa gives Rs 75,000 or Rs 80,000. Check with the EPM Section of DGFT which applies.
Who can apply and who cannot
Organisations that can apply
Draft HBP paragraph X.1(a) lists Central and State Government departments, organisations they recommend, Indian Missions abroad, Export Promotion Councils (EPCs) and Commodity Boards under Appendix 2T of the FTP, Apex Trade Bodies, Institutions of National Importance and other industry associations that the Sub-Committee recommends and the Niryat Disha Empowered Committee approves.
Exporters who can take part
Under draft HBP paragraphs X.5 and X.7, a participant needs a valid Importer Exporter Code (IEC), six months of membership of the agency, no Denied Entity List entry and a Source from India profile on trade.gov.in.
| Limit per entity | What is allowed | Source |
|---|
| BSMs a financial year | 3, or 4 for micro and small entities | Draft HBP X.5(j) |
| New IEC holders | 1 BSM in the first year, 2 in the second, after 6 months with the agency | X.5(k) and X.4(f) |
| Same BSM | 3 occasions, including past supported participation | X.5(l) |
| FY 2025-31 in total | 9 participations, or 15 for MSMEs | X.5(m) |
| Delegates | 2 per entity per BSM or trade delegation | X.5(e) and X.7(j) |
Who cannot
- An exporter that is not a member of an eligible agency (X.4(e)).
- An entity with a suspended or cancelled IEC, or on the Denied Entity List.
- An industry association outside the other X.1(a) categories without Sub-Committee recommendation and Empowered Committee approval.
- An RBSM buyer related to an Indian entity (X.6(c)).
Documents that get it through
| Document | What the authority checks | The mismatch that brings a query or rejection |
|---|
| Registration cum Membership Certificate (RCMC) or association membership | Six months of membership, mapped to the IEC online (X.4(b) and X.5(b)) | Membership taken weeks before the fair, or an RCMC under a different IEC |
| Self-certification | No investigation, prosecution or debarment under trade law (Operational Guidelines 2.1(c)) | An action already started and not disclosed |
| Airfare claim with economy ticket | Economy class; Director, Partner, Proprietor or senior manager; Indian national; filed within 15 days (6.2(g)) | Business class, an ineligible traveller or a late claim |
| Event listing and online application with Intent-to-claim (agency) | Event on Trade Events Worldwide first; measurable outcomes (Trade Notice 19/2025-26, X.1(b) and X.4(c)) | An event not published on Trade Events Worldwide, or an unjustified separate pavilion (X.5(r)) |
| Member list with IEC and membership dates (industry associations other than EPCs and Commodity Boards, for events abroad) | Emailed to epm-dgft@gov.in, copy to tradeconnect-dgft@gov.in (Trade Notice 19/2025-26) | No start and end dates, so the six month test fails |
| Outcome report, utilisation certificate (UC) and Chartered Accountant certified accounts (agency) | Filed within 15 days with photographs and trade leads (6.1(b) and 2.9), plus a Certificate of Disclosure of Interest (2.7(b)) | Late reports bar further assistance and may lead to debarment (6.1(e)) |
How to apply, stage by stage
For the organising agency
1
Before you apply, register an EPM administrator
Confirm your category under X.1(a), then register the administrator at trade.gov.in with the function “Export Promotion Mission (EPM)” and the role “Administrator” (Trade Notice 19/2025-26).
2
Publish the event and file
List the event on Trade Events Worldwide, then file the online MAS application and Intent-to-claim. Large BSMs abroad may be approved up to two years ahead (6.2(f)(vii)).
3
After filing, approval and the advance
The secretariat issues one formal approval and releases funds to the agency or lead agency (2.6(g)): 50 percent before the event, 50 percent after the mandatory documents (6.1(c)).
4
Close the event within 15 days
File the outcome report, UC and accounts online within 15 days (6.1(b)) and keep audited accounts for 3 years (2.9(b)).
For the exporter
1
Before you apply, join the agency
Join the EPC or association at least six months before the event, and check your RCMC carries the IEC you use on Trade Connect.
2
Find an approved event and express interest
Check the Trade Connect list of events approved under MAS, then express interest (X.4(f)). Until the online workflow is live, agencies may use their existing selection process.
3
After the event, claim and give feedback
File any airfare claim within 15 days of return to India (6.2(g)(iv)) and submit the online feedback (X.5(p)).
The deadlines that cannot be undone: no retroactive airfare claim is admissible (6.2(g)(v)). If an event is cancelled or an agency withdraws, the advance must be refunded within 15 days, or it carries simple interest at 10 percent a year, under paragraph 6.1(i) inserted by Trade Notice 08/2026-27.
Planning an MAS proposal or a place on a supported delegation
Tell us the event, agency and your role. We check eligibility, membership dates and deadlines first.
Where MAS claims go wrong
| Failure | What you see | What actually broke |
|---|
| Joined the council three months before the fair | No supported place | X.5(b) asks for six months of membership |
| A medium enterprise joins a fourth BSM in a year | Fourth event not supported | X.5(j) allows 3, and 4 only for micro and small entities |
| Airfare claim filed 20 days after landing | Claim not admitted | 6.2(g)(iv) allows 15 days and 6.2(g)(v) bars retroactive claims |
| Exporter with Rs 1.2 crore turnover asks for airfare | Airfare refused | X.5(o) stops airfare above Rs 75 lakh of previous year export turnover |
| Sub-Committee recommended 50, only 20 take part | Grant cut | A 60 percent shortfall gets a pro-rata cut plus 20 percent of it (6.1(h)) |
Under paragraph 6.1(h), a participation shortfall up to 10 percent brings no cut, 11 to 50 percent a pro-rata cut, 50 to 75 percent a pro-rata cut plus 20 percent of it, and above 75 percent a refund of the whole advance.
How MAS fits with other schemes
| Scheme | Who applies | What it pays for | The rule on the same cost |
|---|
| MAS | Organising agency; exporters take part | Event costs and small exporter airfare | No double funding clause of its own; General Financial Rules 2017 apply (2.8) |
| Uttar Pradesh Government Order 811/18-4-2025 | MSME exporter unit of Uttar Pradesh itself, within 120 days of the fair (categories 1 and 3, paragraph 5(1)); organising bodies (categories 4 and 5) | For a fair abroad, 75 percent of space rent up to Rs 3.25 lakh, and 75 percent of one economy airfare up to Rs 1.25 lakh (category 1) | Paragraph 8: no assistance if a full or partial similar benefit for the same purpose came from any central or state scheme |
| Brand India global outreach, Trade Notice 12/2026-27 | Government bodies, EPCs, Commodity Boards, industry associations | Branding and packaging; sector branding up to 50 percent, at most Rs 10 crore a project for priority sectors (Annexure-II 6(b)) | Annexure-II 10(c) and the Annexure-IV declaration bar assistance for the same project or expenditure under another government scheme |
| Trade Regulations, Accreditation and Compliance Enablement (TRACE) | The MSME exporter | Testing, inspection and certification costs | A different cost; see our TRACE scheme guide |
Government Order 811 paragraph 8 bars a partial benefit as well as a full one, so MAS support at a fair may rule out a state claim for that fair. Check with the Export Promotion Bureau UP before you claim both; our UP trade fair subsidy guide covers the state claim. Brand India lists India Pavilions among its activities (Annexure-II 5(a)(viii)), so keep a pavilion in one proposal; see our Brand India global outreach guide.
What MAS will not do
1
It will not pay the event grant to an exporter
The grant goes to the organising agency or lead agency (2.6(g)).
2
It will not pay costs after the fact
Paragraph 6.2(g)(v) bars retroactive airfare claims, and paragraph 6.3(j) bars post-facto claims for an RBSM.
3
It will not give a decision date or an appeal
Trade Notice 19/2025-26 prints neither. Support is subject to approval and the available budget.
How Rasp International handles MAS
When a client engages us, we prepare and file the application or claim end to end, always in the client unit’s own name. Clients can also file themselves with our guidance. We sign a non-disclosure agreement and a service level agreement with every client. Both sides hold the portal logins and keep them confidential. Documents sit in encrypted storage. We give an authority letter only on request. We hold no customs broker (CHA) licence; licensed CHA partners across India handle customs clearance. See our export help desk for fairs, trade show marketing and how we work.
Unsure whether your agency or firm qualifies
Send us the event, dates and agency. We tell you which MAS rules apply.
What Is Not Yet Notified, Checked on 27 October 2026
- Whether 75 or 80 percent applies to BSM airfare in the Rs 75 lakh band. Check with the EPM Section of DGFT.
- Who pays the exporter’s airfare reimbursement, and how much each exhibitor contributes. Check with the organising agency.
- What counts as the “first year” of a new IEC holder, and what turnover proof is accepted. Check with the Export Promotion Council.
- The final Chapter X text, and the RBSM hotel ceiling marked “to be notified” in 6.3(k)(vi). Check with the EPM Section of DGFT.
Frequently asked questions
What is Market Access Support under EPM?
It is a DGFT intervention under Niryat Disha that funds buyer seller meets, trade fairs, exhibitions, reverse buyer seller meets and trade delegations. Trade Notice 19/2025-26 dated 31 December 2025 launched it on a pilot basis, and the EPM consolidated the earlier Market Access Initiative.
Can an individual exporter apply for Market Access Support?
Not for the event grant. Draft HBP paragraph X.4(e) supports only members of eligible agencies, and the grant goes to the agency. An exporter joins through a council or association it has belonged to for six months, and may claim partial airfare if its turnover qualifies.
Who can apply for MAS as an organising agency?
Government departments, bodies they recommend, Indian Missions abroad, Export Promotion Councils and Commodity Boards, Apex Trade Bodies, Institutions of National Importance and industry associations approved by the Niryat Disha Empowered Committee on the Sub-Committee’s recommendation, under draft HBP paragraph X.1(a).
How much does the government pay for a trade fair under MAS?
Up to Rs 5 crore per buyer seller meet, trade fair or exhibition under paragraph 6.2(d). The government share is 60 percent of approved cost for regular sectors and 80 percent for priority sectors such as handicrafts and leather, with the agency and exhibitors bearing the rest.
Do exporters get airfare support under MAS?
Small exporters may. Under paragraph 6.2(g), zero export turnover last year gets 50 percent of economy fare up to Rs 45,000, or Rs 80,000 for Africa, Americas and Oceania. Turnover up to Rs 75 lakh gets 80 percent up to Rs 75,000 or Rs 1,25,000, though 6.2(g)(vii) caps buyer seller meets at 75 percent.
How many MAS events can one exporter join in a year?
Up to 3 buyer seller meets in a financial year, or 4 for micro and small entities, under draft HBP paragraph X.5(j). Over FY 2025-31 the limit is 9 participations, or 15 for MSMEs, and one entity can be supported at the same event 3 times.
Can a new IEC holder take part in a MAS buyer seller meet?
Yes, within limits. Draft HBP paragraph X.5(k) allows a new IEC holder 1 buyer seller meet in the first year and 2 in the second. Paragraph X.4(f) asks for at least six months of registration with the agency first, so join early.
What is the minimum delegation size for a MAS buyer seller meet?
Twenty five participants. DGFT Trade Notice 08/2026-27 dated 1 July 2026 replaced the earlier recommended minimum of 50. The Sub-Committee may still recommend smaller delegations with justification, especially for new geographies and smaller countries, under draft HBP paragraphs X.5(g) and X.5(h).
How long do I have to file the MAS airfare claim?
Fifteen days from return to India, under paragraph 6.2(g)(iv) for buyer seller meets and 6.4(g)(xi) for trade delegations. No retroactive claim is admissible. Keep the economy ticket in the traveller’s name, and ask the organising agency where the claim goes.
Can I claim MAS and Uttar Pradesh trade fair support for the same fair?
Be careful. Paragraph 8 of Government Order 811/18-4-2025 allows state assistance only if no full or partial similar benefit for the same purpose came from a central or state scheme. MAS support at the same fair may count. Ask the Export Promotion Bureau UP before claiming both.
What happens if an MAS event is cancelled after the advance is released?
The agency must refund the advance within 15 days of the cancellation or withdrawal decision. After that, the refund carries simple interest at 10 percent a year from the date of communication, under paragraph 6.1(i) inserted by DGFT Trade Notice 08/2026-27 dated 1 July 2026.
Where can I see the list of events approved under MAS?
The Trade Connect ePlatform at trade.gov.in publishes a list of events approved under MAS, and highlights them on its Trade Events Worldwide service. The list names the organising agency for each event, so ask that council or association about places and selection.
Sources
- Tier 1. DGFT Trade Notice 19/2025-26 dated 31 December 2025, MAS guidelines: content.trade.gov.in.
- Tier 1. DGFT Trade Notice 08/2026-27 dated 1 July 2026, Amendment to MAS guidelines: content.trade.gov.in.
- Tier 1. DGFT scheme guidelines list: dgft.gov.in; List of Events Approved for MAS dated 5 August 2026: content.trade.gov.in.
- Tier 1. DGFT Trade Notice 12/2026-27 dated 14 July 2026, Brand India global outreach guidelines: content.trade.gov.in.
- Tier 1. Press Information Bureau, 12 November 2025: pib.gov.in; 31 December 2025: pib.gov.in.
- Tier 1. Government Order 811/18-4-2025 dated 6 November 2025, Government of Uttar Pradesh: UPEPC government orders.
This is general guidance. Rules change. Check the current notification or trade notice, or speak to us, before you act.
Related: Interest subvention on export credit | UP export marketing subsidy | Checks before a first shipment to a new buyer