On September 9, 2026, the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), Government of India, organized a high-level National Seminar titled “Trade and Export Opportunities” at the Swami Vivekananda Auditorium in Daman. Hosted as a strategic initiative by the MSME Development Office, Silvassa (UT of Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu), the seminar served as a crucial platform to bridge academic learning with industrial trade policies, export strategies, and technological innovation. A delegation of 60 students from the Textile Design department (TD Semesters 3 and 7) of the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) actively participated in the seminar.
The event offered these emerging design professionals an invaluable opportunity to build core entrepreneurial skills and understand the mechanics of global supply chains directly from industry leaders. Throughout the seminar, NIFT students demonstrated high engagement, directly interacting with policy experts, e-commerce strategists, and industrial leaders to gain clarity on market access, IP considerations, and sustainable design integration.
The seminar featured nine comprehensive sessions tailored to address modern trade realities. Early presentations focused on product and process innovation led by Dr. Nupur Angirish and Sh. Nimesh Panchal, followed by strategic insights into e-commerce adoption via Government e-Marketplace (GeM) presented by Sh. Kuldeep Singh Rajput. Crucial export frameworks were outlined in sessions on Public Procurement Policy and the national EXIM Policy, delivered by Sh. Pramod Taware, Assistant DGFT, Mumbai.
Following a networking lunch break, the afternoon proceedings re-engaged participants with actionable market strategies. Sh. Sandip Vinubhai Kathiriya demystified commercial e-commerce scaling on global platforms like Amazon, while Dr. Bidhan Das (Joint Director & Branch Head, IIP Ahmedabad) highlighted essential design and packaging standards for international trade. Further sessions by Dr. S. Balasubramaniam and Sh. Himanshu Singh focused on rigorous market research techniques and technological upgrades through advanced manufacturing initiatives. The seminar concluded with an overview of government artisan schemes, state support, and Udyam Registration presented by Sh. Pravin Ureshwar Doiphode and Sh. Shakti Singh Tanwar of MSME-DFO, Silvassa.
The event concluded with an official valedictory ceremony where all 60 participating NIFT students were awarded formal certificates of participation. The seminar successfully deepened the students’ understanding of how craft, textile design, and national trade mechanisms converge, empowering them to align their creative talents with global export opportunities.
