NIFT Textile Design Students Participate in National MSME Seminar on Trade and Export Opportunities

60 Textile Design students gain insights into export policy, e-commerce, market research, sustainable design and manufacturing innovation

The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), Government of India, organised a National Seminar titled “Trade and Export Opportunities” at the Swami Vivekananda Auditorium in Daman. A delegation of 60 students from the Textile Design department (TD Semesters 3 and 7) of the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) participated in the seminar, which focused on trade policies, export strategies, market access and technological innovation.

Organised by the MSME Development Office, Silvassa (UT of Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu), the seminar brought together academic participants, policy experts, e-commerce strategists and industry representatives.

NIFT Students Engage with Trade and Industry Experts

The seminar provided the participating students with exposure to aspects of global supply chains and entrepreneurial development. Throughout the programme, the NIFT delegation interacted with experts and industry representatives on topics including market access, intellectual property considerations and sustainable design integration.

The programme comprised nine sessions covering different aspects of trade, exports, e-commerce, product development and industrial technology.

Sessions Cover Innovation, E-Commerce and Export Policy

The initial sessions addressed product and process innovation, with presentations by Dr. Nupur Angirish and Sh. Nimesh Panchal.

This was followed by a session on e-commerce adoption through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM), presented by Sh. Kuldeep Singh Rajput.

Export-related frameworks were covered through sessions on the Public Procurement Policy and the national EXIM Policy, delivered by Sh. Pramod Taware, Assistant DGFT, Mumbai.

Afternoon Sessions Focus on Global Market Strategies

Following the networking lunch, the afternoon sessions focused on market strategies and international trade requirements.

Sh. Sandip Vinubhai Kathiriya discussed commercial e-commerce scaling on global platforms such as Amazon. Dr. Bidhan Das, Joint Director & Branch Head, IIP Ahmedabad, addressed design and packaging standards relevant to international trade.

Further sessions by Dr. S. Balasubramaniam and Sh. Himanshu Singh covered market research techniques and technological upgrades through advanced manufacturing initiatives.

The concluding sessions provided 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.

Students Receive Certificates of Participation

The seminar concluded with an official valedictory ceremony, during which all 60 participating NIFT students received certificates of participation.

The programme provided the students with an understanding of the relationship between craft, textile design and national trade mechanisms, covering areas relevant to export opportunities and the integration of design capabilities with international markets.