How to Find Buyers for Export from India: Top Tips

Indian exports are booming, USD 437 billion in 2023-24. But finding international buyers is still the hard part.

This surge is getting more manufacturers and businesses excited about looking beyond our domestic borders. The government is pushing exports hard; the numbers show it's working. But here's the thing - finding overseas buyers is still an uphill climb, especially for newcomers.

We've been researching this space and talking to actual exporters who've made it work. In this guide, we'll share some lesser-talked-about ways to find buyers for your exports from India, whether you're just starting out or looking to expand your existing business.

Strategies for New Exporters and Businesses to Find Buyers for Goods Exports from India

Finding international buyers is challenging for Indian exporters, especially when starting out. The main issue isn't product quality but building trust and credibility with overseas buyers who don't know you. Most exporters make the mistake of cold emailing random companies or posting on generic B2B platforms, which rarely works. You need smarter, targeted approaches.

Register with FIEO and Your Industry EPC

Start by getting a membership with FIEO (Federation of Indian Export Organisations), which connects you to a network of over 200,000+ Indian exporters. You’ll gain access to buyer-seller meets where vetted global importers come specifically looking for suppliers.

These councils regularly host targeted trade events where you'll meet buyers already interested in your product category, making your outreach focused and meaningful.

Use government portals smartly

Attend introductory events (even the small ones)

Apply for the MAI scheme funding to attend these government-sponsored events where pre-qualified buyers come looking for suppliers:

Research attendee lists beforehand and book meetings in advance. Smaller events often give you more face time with serious buyers.

List on niche domestic platforms

Optimise your profiles on these platforms where international buyers actively search for Indian suppliers:

Include HS codes, certifications, and export experience in your listings. Respond to inquiries within 6 hours - speed matters to international buyers.

Check website age and government certifications before engaging

Before engaging with any potential buyer, always check how long their website has been active - it tells you how established they are in business. Also, ask for their government certificates and approvals upfront.

This simple verification step helps you avoid time-wasters and scammers who, unfortunately, target new exporters looking to make their first international sale.

Strategies for Experienced Service SMEs to Find Buyers for Goods Exports from India

Once you've got our export operations up and running, it's time to get smarter and more strategic. The methods that worked when you were starting out need to evolve into data-driven, professional approaches that can scale our business significantly.

Master data-driven targeting with trade databases

Instead of shooting in the dark, let's use actual trade data to identify hot prospects. UN Comtrade and ITC Trade Map are goldmines showing which countries and companies import your product.

 For instance, if you export garments, you can see that US textile and apparel imports from India hit $10.8 billion in 2024. But here's the smart part - these databases also reveal which specific companies are importing.

Use Trade Map's company database feature to find actual importer names and contact details. You can filter by country, product category, and import volumes to identify companies that are already buying what you sell, just from other suppliers. This beats cold emailing random companies by miles because you're approaching buyers who have proven demand and budget.

💡Pro tip: Look for an overseas market where India's share is small but growing, indicating untapped potential for positioning yourself as an alternative supplier. For example, Japan traditionally sources textiles heavily from China and Vietnam, creating opportunities for Indian exporters to position themselves as alternative suppliers. 

Use buying agents and commission-based partnerships

Here's something that actually works based on real exporters' experience: Instead of chasing every buyer yourself, let local buying agents do the heavy lifting. A successful garment exporter mentioned buying offices that take 3-5% commission but handle all the relationship building, saving massive travel and networking costs.

These agents already have established relationships with importers in specific regions. They understand local market preferences, handle negotiations in the buyer's time zone, and can provide market intelligence you'd never get on your own. Look for buying agents through industry directories, trade fairs, or LinkedIn searches for "[your product] buying agent [target country]."

The key is finding agents who specialise in your product category and have a proven track record. Ask for references from other Indian suppliers they represent, and start with non-exclusive agreements until they prove their worth.

Deploy advanced LinkedIn Sales Navigator techniques

Basic LinkedIn isn't enough anymore. LinkedIn Sales Navigator gives you surgical precision in finding procurement managers abroad. 

Use Boolean search strings like: "(Procurement OR Sourcing OR "Import Manager") AND (textiles OR apparel) NOT (assistant OR intern)" to find decision-makers in your industry.

The "connections of" filter on Sales Navigator helps you see who your existing clients are connected to in a particular industry. These warm connections are 10x more likely to respond than cold outreach because you have a mutual connection.

Export your leads using tools like Evaboot or Prospeo (which can find email addresses for up to 45% of LinkedIn profiles). Create targeted email sequences through your CRM, mentioning the mutual connection and being specific about why you're reaching out.

Remember geographic targeting, time your messages to land in their inbox during their business hours and use terminology they understand (American English for US buyers, British English for UK buyers).

Partner with complementary businesses for larger opportunities

Instead of competing alone, team up with other Indian exporters to bid for large contracts that no single company can handle. This is especially effective for government tenders or large corporate contracts where buyers need huge volumes or multiple product categories.

Create formal consortia with complementary businesses. Partner with accessory manufacturers, packaging companies, or logistics providers if you export textiles. This lets you offer complete solutions rather than just products, which buyers increasingly prefer.

Document these partnerships properly and present them professionally in your pitches. Large buyers love dealing with consortia because it reduces their vendor management overhead while ensuring consistent supply.

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What are The Modern Digital Discovery Channels to find Overseas Clients for your Goods Exports?

Digital discovery has completely changed the game for exporters. You are no longer limited to trade fairs and cold calls - now you can identify, conduct market research, and connect with international buyers from our desks. 

But here's the thing: everyone's doing "digital outreach" now, so you need to be smarter about it.

Master LinkedIn beyond basic connections

Apart from leveraging the LinkedIn Sales Navigator features, you can also do the following on this platform: 

Strategic B2B marketplace positioning

Smart cold outreach that doesn't feel cold

Traditional cold emailing has a 1-2% response rate, but personalized, research-backed outreach can hit 15-20%. The key is making it not feel cold at all.

Email structure that works:

Social media platforms beyond the obvious

Automation and CRM that scales

As your digital outreach grows, you need systems to manage it all. Use a CRM like Zoho (India-made), HubSpot (free version available), or Pipedrive to track every interaction.

The key to modern digital discovery is being systematic, not scattered. Pick 2-3 channels, master them completely, then expand. Quality beats quantity every time in international business.

Government Platforms and Schemes to help find overseas clients

The government runs several platforms and schemes to help exporters find overseas buyers, though they're spread across different departments and can be confusing to navigate.

Trade Connect e-Platform: The government's "ChatGPT for exporters"

DGFT's Trade Connect portal launched in 2024, is what Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal calls "ChatGPT for our exporters." This isn't just another government website - it's a single dashboard that connects over 6 lakh IEC holders with 180+ Indian Mission officials and 600+ Export Promotion Council officials.

It's designed for MSMEs with small research budgets. Instead of hunting through 10 different websites for market information, you get everything on one platform. Plus, it connects you directly with commercial officers at Indian embassies who can introduce you to local importers.

Export Promotion Councils: Your industry insiders

Beyond basic registration, EPCs are goldmines for buyer connections that most exporters underuse. Many EPCs maintain buyer directories that they don't actively promote but are available to members.

For instance, the Handloom Export Promotion Council (HEPC) or Engineering Export Promotion Council (EEPC) regularly gets inquiries from overseas buyers looking for specific products.

EPCs also facilitate international tenders. A successful handicrafts exporter mentioned how EPCH connected them with a major US retailer through a reverse buyer-seller meet. The retailer had specifically approached EPCH to look for authentic Indian handicraft suppliers, and because this exporter was an engaged member, they got the introduction.

Export Promotion Councils to focus on:

Financial schemes that make you more competitive

The Market Access Initiative (MAI) scheme provides funds for international marketing, but most small exporters are unaware of it. MAI provides up to ₹75,000 (₹1,25,000 for Africa and the Americas) for economy airfare reimbursement when you participate in EPC-led international trade fairs.

You can participate in up to 3 MAI events per year. You can do five annual events in different markets for SC/ST/Women exporters and those with exports under ₹50 crores. This means the government is essentially subsidizing your international business development trips.

RoDTEP (Remission of Duties and Taxes on Export Products) is the new export incentive that replaced MEIS. It refunds embedded taxes that you can't claim anywhere else - things like electricity duty, fuel taxes, mandi tax, and coal cess. The refund rates range from 0.01% to 4.3% of your FOB value, issued as transferable electronic scrips.

This makes your pricing more competitive because you're not absorbing these hidden costs. When you quote to international buyers, your prices can be 2-4% lower than competitors who aren't using RoDTEP effectively.

ECGC: Making foreign buyers comfortable with Indian SMEs

Export Credit Guarantee Corporation (ECGC) provides export credit insurance that covers 80-90% of your export value if overseas buyers default. But here's the strategic angle most exporters miss: ECGC insurance makes foreign buyers more comfortable dealing with you.

When you tell an international buyer that your shipments are covered by ECGC insurance, it signals that you're a serious, government-backed exporter. Large buyers especially prefer suppliers who have export credit insurance because it reduces their supply chain risk.

ECGC offers different policies:

The cost is typically 0.2-0.8% of your invoice value, but the credibility boost with international buyers often justifies this investment.

Indian Missions abroad: Your extended sales team

Exporters massively underutilise the commercial sections of Indian embassies. These officers maintain databases of local importers, trade promotion programs, and can make warm introductions. Most importantly, they understand the local market dynamics and can tell you which products are in demand.

Pro tip from successful exporters: Before visiting a new country for business, email the Commercial Wing of the Indian Embassy 2-3 weeks in advance. Explain your product, target market, and ask for a brief meeting. Embassy officers are usually happy to help Indian businesses and can provide market intelligence you won't find anywhere else.

Many embassies organise "India Showcases" or business networking events where they invite local importers specifically to meet Indian suppliers. Getting on their radar means you'll be invited to these events.

How to access these schemes:

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Simplify your goods export payments with Skydo

Managing international payments can be one of the biggest headaches in export business. Traditional banks often charge 1-2% in hidden FX margins plus hefty fees, while platforms like PayPal can eat up to 8.7% of your earnings.

Skydo solves this with zero FX margin and transparent flat fees - just $19 for payments up to $2,000, $29 for $2,001-$10,000, and 0.3% above $10,000. You get global bank accounts in 15+ countries, instant FIRA compliance, and real-time payment tracking. For Amazon Global Selling withdrawals, Skydo offers tailored pricing that can save thousands annually.

Finding overseas buyers is just the first step; getting paid efficiently completes the export success equation.

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