The DGFT INSIGHT Guidelines 2026 establish a non-financial institutional support framework to strengthen trade intelligence, export facilitation, and district-level export capacity under EPM-NIRYAT DISHA.
The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Ministry of Commerce & Industry, issued the guidelines vide Trade Notice No. 27/2025-26 dated 20 February 2026.
DGFT’s INSIGHT (Integrated Support for Trade Intelligence & Facilitation) operates as a strategic ecosystem intervention rather than a subsidy or reimbursement scheme.
What Is INSIGHT?
INSIGHT is a capacity-building and trade intelligence initiative focused on strengthening institutions, improving exporter preparedness, and enhancing policy support systems. The initiative seeks to:
- Improve export readiness
- Reduce information asymmetry
- Address procedural and compliance barriers
- Enhance access to actionable trade intelligence
- Support MSMEs and district export ecosystems
INSIGHT promotes coordination with:
- District Export Promotion Committees (DEPCs)
- State Export Promotion Committees (SEPCs)
- Central and State export initiatives
It is structured as a long-term ecosystem enhancement programme.
Core Objectives under Annexure I
INSIGHT aims to improve:
- Export readiness
- Market responsiveness
- Access to trade analytics
- District-level facilitation mechanisms
The framework integrates training, applied research, analytics, and digital systems to strengthen institutional capacity.
Four Intervention Pillars Under INSIGHT
INSIGHT operates through four structured intervention categories:
1. Export Capacity Building and Skills Development
This pillar supports:
- Training programmes and workshops
- Structured learning modules and toolkits
- Export-import certifications
- E-learning and digital content
- Train-the-trainer initiatives
Funding Structure:
- 50% of cost, up to ₹15 lakh for modules
- 50% of cost, up to ₹25 lakh for training programmes
- Up to 100% funding for Government departments
The objective is to enhance regulatory literacy and operational competence across export stakeholders.
2. District and Cluster-Level Export Facilitation
Eligible interventions include:
- Outreach and exporter counselling
- SPS and standards preparedness initiatives
- Compliance capacity building
- Non-infrastructure helpdesks
Funding Structure:
- 50% of cost, up to ₹50 lakh
- Up to 100% funding for Government entities, DEPCs, and SEPCs
This pillar decentralises export facilitation and strengthens district-level institutions.
3. Trade Intelligence, Analytics and Digital Knowledge Systems
INSIGHT supports:
- Trade dashboards
- Sector-specific data platforms
- Early-warning systems
- Decision-support tools
- Advanced trade analytics and modelling
Intellectual Property Framework
- Fully funded projects: IP vests with Government
- Partially funded projects: Joint ownership may be permitted
This pillar strengthens data-driven policy formulation and informed export decision-making.
4. Research, Innovation and Pilot Projects
Eligible activities include:
- Applied trade research
- Forecasting and modelling studies
- Proof-of-concept initiatives
- Innovation pilots
- Hackathons and collaborative research
Funding Structure:
- 50% of cost, up to ₹25 lakh
- Up to 100% funding for Government entities
The focus is on experimentation, scalability, and innovation-driven facilitation.
Activities Not Permitted
INSIGHT explicitly excludes:
- Capital expenditure
- Physical infrastructure creation
- Transaction-linked subsidies
- Direct financial incentives to exporters
The scheme is confined to institutional strengthening and knowledge development.
Eligible Applicants
As per Annexure II, eligible entities include:
- Export Promotion Councils (EPCs)
- Commodity Boards
- DGFT offices
- Ministry of External Affairs / Indian Missions
- MSME- or MEA-recommended organisations
- UGC-recognised academic institutions
- DEPCs and SEPCs
- Government-recommended associations
INSIGHT is institution-focused and does not provide assistance directly to individual exporters.
Governance Structure
Implementation is overseen by a Sub-Committee on Trade Facilitation & Intelligence.
A. Chair
Additional DGFT (EPM Division)
B. Member Representation Includes
- DGFT
- Department of Commerce
- Integrated Finance Division (IFD)
- Ministry of MSME
- Ministry of External Affairs
- Ministry of Skill Development
- Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region
- Institutes of National Importance
The EPM Section at DGFT Headquarters functions as Secretariat.
Application and Approval Process
Separate prescribed formats are available for:
- Capacity-building modules
- Research studies
- District proposals
- Trade intelligence systems
- Utilisation certificates
Applications must be submitted online in prescribed formats.
Fund release follows an instalment-based structure linked to:
- Milestone achievement
- Submission of utilisation certificates
- Performance evaluation
Emerging Trade Priorities (Annexure V)
The guidelines identify forward-looking thematic priorities, including:
- Digital and paperless trade
- Sustainability and climate-responsive trade
- Circular economy models
- Inclusive and responsible trade
- Supply chain resilience
- Logistics and shipping efficiency
- Artificial intelligence in trade analytics
- Strategic and technology-intensive sectors
These themes indicate areas for future-focused research and ecosystem strengthening.
Financial and Compliance Framework
Applicants must ensure:
- Instalment-based fund utilisation tracking
- Timely submission of utilisation certificates
- No duplication of funding support
- Audit-ready financial documentation
- Compliance with recovery provisions for non-performance
Strong milestone planning and measurable outputs are critical for approval and continuation.
Strategic Positioning of INSIGHT
INSIGHT is:
- Institution-strengthening
- Data- and analytics-driven
- MSME-oriented
- District-linked and decentralised
- Pilot-based with scalability potential
- Designed for inter-agency convergence
It is not a subsidy mechanism but a strategic export ecosystem development initiative.
Organisations proposing projects should demonstrate measurable impact, district-level relevance, sustainability beyond the pilot phase, and clear institutional value addition.
Source: DGFT Trade Notice 27/2025-26 dated 20/05/2026 regarding INSIGHT Guidelines 2026 (Trade Intelligence Framework)