Questions & answers

Several government project profiles fit inside ₹2 lakh. A tea stall is costed at ₹27,500 (stove, utensils and furniture ₹22,000 plus ₹5,500 working capital), and a tailoring shop with four foot-operated machines at ₹36,900 to ₹46,900. A two-wheeler repair shop on your own land is costed at ₹1.51 lakh, and KVIC's hand-made papad unit at ₹2.00 lakh, including ₹1.00 lakh of working capital. These profiles carry old prices, so get fresh quotes before you buy anything.

The MSME-DI Hyderabad profile puts monthly sales at ₹27,500 and profit at ₹6,600, about 24% of sales, with 3 people working. The whole set-up costs ₹27,500, of which ₹5,500 is for milk, tea, sugar and snacks. You will need FSSAI registration and either a street-vending certificate from the town vending committee or a trade licence. The biggest risks are losing your spot, rising milk and sugar prices, and slow rainy months.

Both models are on record. A small ni-msme chakki costs ₹2.50 lakh (pulverisers and roaster ₹1.25 lakh, building ₹0.25 lakh, working capital ₹1.00 lakh, in 100 sq m of rented space) and earns about ₹10,000 a month on ₹1.15 lakh of sales. NIFTEM's PMFME report for a full wheat flour mill costs ₹35.04 lakh, employs 15 people and shows first-year sales of ₹95.76 lakh with ₹2.87 lakh profit after tax. Start small if you are new; a big mill needs wheat bought in season and ₹9.44 lakh of working capital.

The MSME-DI Hyderabad profile uses a 15 ft × 12 ft shop rented at ₹2,000 a month, four foot-operated sewing machines at ₹5,500 each and one overlock machine at ₹7,700. With a month's lining, buttons and thread (₹3,500), the total comes to ₹36,900 to ₹46,900, and job-work income is put at ₹17,000 a month. Tailors are also one of the 18 trades under PM Vishwakarma, which offers a toolkit e-voucher of up to ₹15,000. That scheme's 30-lakh registration target was met by 1 December 2025, so check at a Common Service Centre whether new registrations are open.

Break-even is the share of capacity (or sales) at which you stop losing money; the lower it is, the more room you have for a bad month. A machine papad unit in a PMEGP sample report breaks even at 25% of capacity, while NIFTEM's bread unit needs 49% in the first year, falling to 45%. A coaching-class profile breaks even at ₹52.48 lakh of sales against planned sales of ₹55.13 lakh, which leaves almost no margin for error. Read this line first in any report, and ask what happens if you sell 20% less than planned.

That cash is your working capital, and it changes a lot by business. A tea stall needs only ₹5,500 for milk, tea and sugar. A mobile repair centre runs at about ₹1.44 lakh a month in salaries, parts, power and rent, and its DC-MSME profile keeps three months' worth, ₹4.33 lakh. A coaching class needs ₹12.03 lakh, mostly to pay teachers before the session's fees come in. Work out your own monthly running cost and keep at least the gap until customers start paying.

A proprietorship has no separate government registration of its own. Its identity comes from Udyam registration, GST if your sales require it, and the local shop or trade licence. Udyam also matters for loans: banks count loans to Udyam-registered micro enterprises towards their priority-sector target, which includes a 7.5% sub-target for micro units. Remember that in a proprietorship the liability is yours personally.

It depends on the franchise. An India Post franchisee outlet asks only a refundable security deposit of ₹5,000, ₹10,000 or ₹15,000 depending on the services, plus a shop of at least 50 sq ft and basic equipment. A Khadi India franchise needs ₹1,17,700 paid to KVIC (fees, a ₹50,000 refundable deposit and ₹50,000 for the Khadi Mark) plus a showroom of at least 300 sq ft, and a royalty of 3% on sales up to ₹12 lakh. A private brand such as EuroKids prints ₹15–20 lakh and 1,500 sq ft of space. Compare these with the project cost of a business you would run yourself.

You need a D.Pharma or B.Pharma degree, or must employ someone who has one, and at least 120 sq ft of own or rented space; a distance rule of 1 km applies in the largest cities. The Kendra earns a 20% margin on the MRP of each medicine. Since 1 September 2024 there is also a monthly incentive of 20% of purchases or ₹20,000, whichever is less. Women, divyang, SC and ST applicants and special areas get a one-time ₹2 lakh for furniture and a computer.

Yes, shopkeepers such as kirana, paan and stationery shops can apply if they are 18 or older and 12th pass (10th pass for delivery only), with basic computer skills. You give a refundable deposit of ₹5,000 for pick-up and delivery, ₹10,000 for booking or ₹15,000 for all services, and need at least 50 sq ft. You earn commission: on Speed Post documents 7% of monthly revenue up to ₹2 lakh, rising in slabs to 30% above ₹60 lakh, and ₹15 for each parcel delivered up to 3 kg. Immediate family members of serving postal employees cannot apply.

For a petrol pump you must be 21 to 60 years old and at least 10th pass, and for a dealer-owned site you need the land by ownership or a lease of at least 19 years 11 months. The interest-free refundable security deposit is ₹5 lakh (open), ₹4 lakh (OBC) or ₹3 lakh (SC/ST) for a regular outlet, and ₹4, 3 or 2 lakh for a rural one. On dealer-owned sites a non-refundable fixed fee of ₹5 lakh (rural) or ₹15 lakh (regular) is also payable. For an LPG agency, the age and education rules are the same, and you must own land for a godown that can store at least 8,000 kg of LPG for the urban and Rurban categories.

A UP government project report puts the fixed assets of a mushroom cultivation and processing unit at ₹13.69 lakh, with about ₹19.99 lakh of starting funds including bank loans. It projects first-year sales of ₹76.95 lakh, a gross margin of about 23% and a net profit of ₹8.90 lakh, but raw material such as compost and spawn alone costs ₹53.87 lakh in that year. The main risks are crop loss from contamination, price crashes in season and power cuts in air-conditioned units. NHB's subsidy for integrated mushroom units is 35% (45% in the North-East and Himalayan areas) for projects large enough to qualify.

Yes. NABARD's 2025-26 unit costs for Bihar put two crossbred cows with a straw-and-bamboo shed at ₹1.90 lakh and four cows at ₹3.65 lakh. A mini dairy with shed, machinery and a milking machine costs ₹5.50 lakh for five graded Murrah buffaloes and ₹12.85 lakh for ten crossbred cows; these figures include insurance and one month's feed. NABARD advises buying animals in two batches six months apart, taking working capital through a Kisan Credit Card, and plans repayment over 5 to 7 years.

A PMEGP sample report costs an 80-colony unit at ₹6.63 lakh: colonies ₹4.80 lakh, 80 boxes ₹32,000 and a honey extractor with uncapping tray ₹12,500, plus ₹1.02 lakh of working capital. It shows a net profit of ₹4.01–4.12 lakh a year on sales of ₹9.12–9.60 lakh, and says you could start with as little as ₹2.25 lakh. No building is needed; hives are kept in shade near flowering crops and clean water. The biggest risks are pesticide spraying that kills bees, disease and mites, and a poor flowering season; register on the National Bee Board's MadhuKranti portal.

Yes, the Directorate General Resettlement runs several. A Mother Dairy milk booth in Delhi NCR needs a ₹1,00,000 refundable deposit and ₹50,000 working capital, with an assured income of ₹15,000 or a commission of 30–35 paise per litre and 5% on other products, whichever is more. It is for Sepoy to JCO ranks registering below 55 and within 6 years of retirement, with at least 10 years of service. In Haryana, a Vita milk booth needs a ₹50,000 refundable deposit for those registering below 55 and within 10 years of retirement.

NABARD's 2025-26 unit costs for Bihar put a 1,000-bird broiler unit at ₹5.88 lakh, 2,000 birds at ₹12.06 lakh and 5,000 birds at ₹26.70 lakh. A UP project report for about 5,644 birds uses chicks at ₹15 each and about 3 kg of feed per bird, so working capital is large. NABARD gives a gestation of 6–12 months and repayment over 5–7 years. Farms with 5,000 or more birds need pollution board consent, and the main risks are bird flu, feed costs, price swings and heat stress.

Probably not on a first loan. Tarun Plus (above ₹10 lakh up to ₹20 lakh) is only for borrowers who took an earlier Tarun loan and repaid it in full, so a first-time borrower is capped at Tarun's ₹10 lakh. The steps below that are Kishor (above ₹50,000 up to ₹5 lakh) and Tarun (above ₹5 lakh up to ₹10 lakh). For a bigger first project, look at PMEGP (up to ₹50 lakh in manufacturing and ₹20 lakh in services) or a bank loan covered by CGTMSE.

Banks look at the five Cs: character, capacity to repay, your own capital, collateral or guarantee, and business conditions. The key number is DSCR, your yearly cash (net profit + depreciation + interest) divided by what you owe the bank that year; 1 means nothing is left over, and many banks look for about 1.5. Credit history also weighs heavily: a parliamentary committee reported in March 2026 that banks reject 40–50% of PMEGP applications, citing a risk-averse approach and heavy reliance on the CIBIL score. Read your project report line by line before you submit it.

CGTMSE charges an annual guarantee fee that rises with loan size: 0.37% a year up to ₹10 lakh, 0.55% from ₹10 to 50 lakh, 0.60% from ₹50 lakh to ₹1 crore, and up to 1.20% near ₹10 crore. The fee is charged on the guaranteed amount in the first year and on the outstanding amount after that. Women, SC/ST and divyang borrowers and units in aspirational districts get a 10% concession on the fee. Lenders often pass the fee on to you; Indian Bank's micro credit card page, for example, says the borrower bears it.

Yes. The credit card for Udyam-registered micro enterprises gives a working-capital limit of up to ₹5 lakh without collateral, covered by CGTMSE; Indian Bank's version starts at ₹10,000. Bank rules can be strict: Indian Bank gives it only to existing customers with at least 12 months' history, asks for a CIBIL MSME Rank of 1–5 or a promoter score of 730 or more, and makes the borrower pay the CGTMSE premium. Uptake has been slow, with about 12,398 cards issued by 20 July 2026 against a target of 10 lakh in the first year.

Microfinance loans are meant for households with annual income up to ₹3,00,000, and RBI says all of a household's loan repayments together must not exceed 50% of its monthly income. They come without collateral or deposit, with no pre-payment penalty, and you must get a loan card with a simple pricing sheet in a language you understand. RBI does not fix their interest rate, so microfinance is usually costlier than a bank loan. Compare the printed annual rate with a bank or MUDRA offer before you sign.

Yes, the Mutual Credit Guarantee Scheme for MSMEs gives lenders a 60% guarantee on machinery and equipment loans of up to ₹100 crore. You need Udyam registration, no bad loan with any lender, and machinery must make up at least 60% of the project cost (cut from 75% in March 2026, when service MSMEs were also included). It is not cheap: 5% of the loan is deposited upfront and refunded at 1% a year from the fourth year, and the guarantee fee is nil in the first year, 1.5% a year for the next three and 1% after that. Since the bank still carries 40% of the risk, it may ask for some security.

Yes, through the Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups run by NCGTC. It covers up to ₹20 crore per borrower: 85% of the default amount for loans up to ₹10 crore and 75% above that. The annual fee is 2% of the amount, 1.5% for North-East units and women entrepreneurs, and 1% for the 27 Champion Sectors. The lender still decides whether your business can repay, so a startup with no revenue rarely gets such a loan.

Under RBI's MSME guidance (the Nayak Committee method), working capital for micro and small units is assessed at a minimum of 20% of estimated yearly turnover, for limits up to ₹5 crore. So a unit expecting ₹50 lakh of sales should be assessed for at least ₹10 lakh. It usually comes as a cash credit or overdraft, where you pay interest only on what you use. RBI also asks banks to offer a composite loan of term loan plus working capital up to ₹1 crore through a single window.

Not directly. Under the Startup India Fund of Funds, SIDBI commits money to SEBI-registered venture funds (AIFs), and those funds pick startups. Under the first round, ₹10,000 crore was committed to 145 funds, which invested over ₹25,500 crore in more than 1,370 startups; Fund of Funds 2.0, notified on 13 April 2026, has another ₹10,000 crore. For farm and rural startups, NABARD's AgriSURE fund of ₹750 crore invests up to ₹25 crore per deal and aims at about 85 startups. So you pitch to the funds, not to SIDBI or NABARD.

Yes, CM-YUVA is for UP residents aged 21 to 40 who are at least Class 8 pass and hold a recognised training certificate. It covers a project of up to ₹5 lakh with 100% interest subsidy for 4 years, no collateral, and a 10% margin money subsidy. Your own share is 15% for general, 12.5% for OBC and 10% for SC/ST/divyang applicants. You are not eligible if you have already taken an interest or capital subsidy under another scheme (PM SVANidhi is the exception); apply on the UP MSME portal and the District Industries Centre sends your file to the bank.

PMFME gives a credit-linked capital subsidy of 35% of the eligible project cost, up to ₹10 lakh per unit, and you bring at least 10% yourself. It is for micro food units such as proprietorships and partnerships, one person per family, and new units are supported only for the district's ODOP product. Land cost is not counted, but a rented workshed can be counted for up to 3 years. The scheme was extended only until 30 September 2026 and a new cycle had not been approved as of 4 October 2026, so check the portal before you apply.

The Agriculture Infrastructure Fund gives 3% annual interest subvention on loans up to ₹2 crore for up to 7 years, and the government pays the CGTMSE guarantee fee on that amount. Farmers, agri-entrepreneurs, startups, FPOs and cooperatives can apply, with at least 10% of the project cost as your own contribution. But a 30 September 2026 order extended the scheme to 31 March 2027 while saying no fresh sanctions will be made from the old budget. Ask your bank whether new AIF loans are being sanctioned before you plan on the subvention.

Under NHB's circular of 21 August 2026, the back-ended subsidy is 35% in general areas and 45% in the North-East, Himalayan and scheduled areas, capped at ₹2 crore per cold storage project. Land cost is not counted, and the plant must hold 5,001 to 20,000 MT (1,000 MT or more in the North-East), so a small room is far below the minimum. Only one member of a family can get NHB help, and only once. Do not start work on site before NHB's Grant of Clearance, or the application is rejected.

PM Vishwakarma covers 18 family-based trades, including carpenters, blacksmiths, potters, cobblers, tailors and barbers, aged 18 or above. It offers 5–7 days of basic training with ₹500 a day stipend, a toolkit e-voucher of up to ₹15,000, and a collateral-free loan of ₹1 lakh and then ₹2 lakh at 5% interest. Only one member per family can join, and you apply only through a Common Service Centre. The 30-lakh registration target was reached by 1 December 2025, so ask the CSC whether new registrations are still being accepted.

ZED certification costs ₹8,000 for Bronze, ₹32,000 for Silver and ₹72,000 for Gold. The government pays 80% of it for micro units, 60% for small and 50% for medium, and 100% for women-owned MSMEs. Taking the ZED pledge earns a ₹10,000 joining reward, which makes Bronze free, but the reward is valid for one year. Registration is free on zed.msme.gov.in for any Udyam-registered MSME; the flyer printed benefits up to 31 March 2026, though PIB reported the scheme running in August 2026.

Stand-Up India gave SC/ST and women entrepreneurs a bank loan of ₹10 lakh to ₹1 crore for a first-time (greenfield) venture, repayable over 7 years. The Department of Financial Services says the scheme was valid only up to 31 March 2025, though the standupmitra.in portal still takes applications. The Budget 2025-26 announced a new scheme of term loans up to ₹2 crore for 5 lakh first-time women, SC and ST entrepreneurs, but no launch notice had been found by 18 October 2026. Ask your bank which version it is sanctioning before you build your plan around it.

Yes, PMEGP has a second loan for upgradation: up to ₹1 crore in manufacturing and ₹25 lakh in services, with a 15% subsidy (20% in the North-East and hill areas) and 10% own contribution, as printed on the Delhi KVIB guidelines page. Banks cannot ask for collateral on PMEGP loans up to ₹20 lakh. Note that the cabinet approval ran to 2025-26; the 2026-27 budget has ₹4,500 crore for PMEGP, but approval for the new cycle had not been seen. Check with your KVIC/KVIB or DIC office before applying.

A Rajya Sabha committee reported in March 2026 that banks reject 40–50% of PMEGP applications, because of a risk-averse approach and heavy reliance on the CIBIL score. Some rejections are about eligibility: a unit that is already running, or one that has already had a government subsidy, cannot apply. Clear any overdue loan or card dues first, and make sure your project report's costs and means of finance match exactly. EDP training is compulsory after sanction unless you are already trained.

For business income without an audit (ITR-3 or ITR-4), the due date is now 31 August after the tax year; the Finance Act, 2026 moved it from 31 July. If your accounts must be audited, the date is 31 October, which CBDT extended to 21 November 2026 for AY 2026-27. A late return costs a fee of ₹5,000 (₹1,000 if total income is up to ₹5 lakh) plus interest of 1% a month on unpaid tax.

Yes, if your tax for the year after TDS comes to ₹10,000 or more. It is paid in four instalments: 15% by 15 June, 45% by 15 September, 75% by 15 December and 100% by 15 March. If you declare income under the presumptive scheme, you pay the whole amount in one instalment by 15 March. A shortfall attracts interest of 1% a month.

Monthly filers send GSTR-1 (sales details) by the 11th and GSTR-3B (summary and tax payment) by the 20th of the next month. The late fee is ₹50 a day, or ₹20 a day for a nil return, capped at ₹500 for a nil return, ₹2,000 for turnover up to ₹1.5 crore and ₹5,000 for ₹1.5–5 crore. Tax paid late also carries interest at 18% a year. Dates are often extended by notification, so check the GST portal before the deadline.

Yes, if your aggregate turnover is up to ₹5 crore you can join the QRMP scheme. You file GSTR-1 by the 13th of the month after each quarter, and GSTR-3B by the 22nd or 24th depending on your state (for example the 22nd in Maharashtra and the 24th in Uttar Pradesh). You still pay tax monthly through PMT-06 by the 25th for the first two months of each quarter. If business buyers want monthly input credit, you can upload their invoices through the optional IFF between the 1st and 13th, up to ₹50 lakh a month.

Regular taxpayers file GSTR-9 by 31 December after the financial year. Taxpayers with aggregate turnover up to ₹2 crore have been exempted year by year through notifications, so check the current notification for your year. Above ₹5 crore you must also file the GSTR-9C reconciliation statement with it. The late fee for GSTR-9 is ₹50 a day for turnover up to ₹5 crore, capped at 0.04% of turnover in the state.

Composition traders and manufacturers pay 1% of turnover and restaurants 5%; the scheme for goods is open if last year's turnover was up to ₹1.5 crore (₹75 lakh in some hill and north-eastern states). You file CMP-08, a quarterly statement with tax payment, by the 18th of the month after each quarter. The annual return GSTR-4 is now due by 30 June after the year; older guides still say 30 April. Late tax carries 18% interest a year.

TDS you deduct must be deposited by the 7th of the next month; tax deducted in March is due by 30 April. The quarterly TDS statement for non-salary payments is due by 31 July, 31 October, 31 January and 31 May; Form 26Q is now called Form 140 under the new rules. A late statement costs ₹200 a day until filed, up to the TDS amount. Late deposit carries interest at 1.5% a month from the date of deduction.

If you are registered under GST, section 35 of the CGST Act requires true accounts of production, stock, sales, purchases and tax at your main place of business. Section 36 says these must be kept for 72 months (six years) from the due date of the annual return for that year. For example, if the annual return for 2025-26 is due on 31 December 2026, keep those records until 31 December 2032. Keep a bill or receipt behind every entry.

Start with the India Industrial Land Bank, DPIIT's GIS map of industrial parks linked to state systems. As on 23 December 2025 it mapped 4,523 parks over about 7.70 lakh hectares, with about 1.35 lakh hectares and 1.25 lakh plots vacant. State figures vary a lot: Uttar Pradesh had 286 parks with 1,320 hectares available, Maharashtra 523 parks with 19,658 hectares available. Then apply through your state's industrial development corporation, which runs the actual allotment.

UPSIDA offers plots only against an online advertisement on Nivesh Mitra or its e-auction platform, and areas more than 75% allotted go to e-auction. You apply online with a detailed project report, paying an application fee of ₹500 plus GST and a processing fee of ₹1,000 to ₹10,000 by plot size; offline applications are rejected. E-auction plots are given on a 90-year lease, and area rates vary widely, for example ₹11,910 per sq m at Trans Ganga City and ₹1,540 at Khemsepur (October 2026). Under the UP MSME Policy 2022, stamp duty is exempted 100% in Bundelkhand and Purvanchal, 75% in Madhyanchal and Paschimanchal, and 100% anywhere for women-owned MSMEs.

Check plots and rates on the MIDC land portal; rates are published by regional office and industrial area. Where less than 80% of plots in an area are allotted, plots go by direct allotment: you apply online, choose the plot, upload documents and pay a process fee (up to ₹10,000 for the largest plots). You also pay earnest money of 5%, worked out as the prevailing rate per sq m × area × 5%. Under the state's 2025 policy, stamp duty on the first lease is waived 100% in Group C, D and D+ areas and 50% in Groups A and B.

Yes. Under Telangana's MSME Policy 2024 guidelines, units in TGIIC and approved private parks get a land cost subsidy of 25% up to ₹10 lakh, or 50% up to ₹50 lakh for SC, ST and PwD entrepreneurs, plus 100% reimbursement of stamp and transfer duty. You apply online through TG-iPASS with no application fee. Within 7 days you send the signed papers and project report with an EMD of 10% of the plot value and a non-refundable process fee of 0.1% (minimum ₹1,000). A state committee then approves, defers or rejects the allotment.

When you start, keep fixed costs low: rent a shed before you build one. Schemes point the same way. PMFME does not count land cost in the project, but a rented or leased workshed can be counted for up to 3 years, and NHB's 2026 circular also takes land out of the eligible project cost. Many government project reports assume rented premises; NIFTEM's bread unit, for example, uses 800–1,000 sq ft of rented space.

Yes. MPIDC's GIS land-bank portal lets you pick a plot and book it online, first come, first served. You pay a non-refundable ₹5,000 application fee per booking session and 25% of the plot's land premium at booking. After the Letter of Intent, which is valid for 120 days, you pay the balance within 60 days, and the allotment letter and lease deed are signed online with Aadhaar e-sign. MPIDC reports more than 1,900 plots allotted through this portal.

Register as a seller on the Government e-Marketplace (gem.gov.in). You need the organisation's PAN (a proprietor uses an individual PAN), Aadhaar is no longer mandatory, and Udyam holders can register through an API link and declare their MSE status. DPIIT-recognised startups get relaxation on prior turnover, prior experience and earnest money through GeM Startup Runway. New sellers pay caution money that depends on turnover, so check the current amount on the GeM site.

Use TReDS, the RBI-regulated invoice discounting system. You upload the invoice, your buyer accepts it on the platform, financiers bid, and you are paid early at the best discount rate. The discounting is without recourse to you: if the buyer defaults, the financier bears the loss. It works only if your buyer is registered on the same platform; SIDBI names three platforms: RXIL, M1xchange and Invoicemart.

For goods, usually yes. Under the CGST Act, sellers who supply goods through an e-commerce operator that collects tax at source must register whatever their turnover. Service providers with turnover up to ₹20 lakh are exempt even when they sell through e-commerce. Registering also lets your business buyers claim input tax credit on your invoices.

Start with contribution: selling price minus the material and other costs of one unit. A PMEGP sample report for agarbatti sells at ₹110 a kg against raw material of ₹40 a kg, and with that gap it breaks even at 39% of capacity in the first year, earning ₹1.49 lakh net profit on ₹11.29 lakh of sales. Your full cost sets the floor; what similar products sell for sets the ceiling. Check what a 10% lower price does to your break-even before you offer discounts.

Yes, through One Station One Product, which gives priority to artisans, weavers, farmers and Self-Help Group members, especially women-led groups. As of 19 January 2026, over 2,000 stations hosted about 2,326 OSOP outlets. Regular catering stalls, milk stalls and trolleys are different: railway divisions allot them through open two-packet tenders, for a fixed 5-year tenure with no automatic renewal. Ask the station manager or divisional office about the next OSOP allotment.

Yes. Under section 43B(h) of the income-tax law, a buyer can claim a business expense owed to a micro or small enterprise only in the year it is actually paid, if it pays later than the MSMED Act limit: the agreed period, never more than 45 days from acceptance. So late payment can raise your buyer's tax bill. Share your Udyam certificate with every buyer and print payment terms within 45 days on your invoices. It is a tax rule on the buyer, not a guarantee of payment; recovery still goes through the MSME facilitation council.

ODOP has identified 1,244 products across 773 districts, but it gives no money of its own. Its help is visibility, buyer-seller events, GeM and e-commerce linkage and export promotion under the district export plans. Money comes through linked schemes: for example, PMFME supports new food units only for the district's ODOP product. Contact your District Industries Centre or District Export Promotion Committee to get listed.

Your Registration-cum-Membership Certificate (RCMC) is needed to claim most Foreign Trade Policy benefits. Choose the council or board for your main product: APEDA for many farm and processed foods, MPEDA for fish, the Spices Board for spices, EEPC for engineering goods. If no council covers your product, or your main line is not settled yet, take the RCMC from FIEO. Apply in form ANF 2C; a business that has not exported yet can join as an associate member, and the RCMC is valid for 5 years from 1 April of the year of issue.

Under RBI rules in force from 1 October 2026, the full export value must reach India within 9 months of the shipment date, or 12 months if the export is invoiced or settled in Indian rupees. Earlier the limit was 15 months. Track each shipping bill with your bank in its EDPMS system, and if the buyer pays less because of a quality claim or discount, ask your bank to approve the reduction. The realisation record is also needed to keep RoDTEP benefits and to close Advance Authorisation or EPCG obligations.

Name one of the 11 Incoterms 2020 rules with a place, for example 'FOB Mundra' or 'CIF Jebel Ali', so it is clear who pays freight and insurance and where the risk passes. For a first order from a new buyer, ask for advance payment or a Letter of Credit. Put price, quantity, quality, packing, delivery date and payment term in a signed contract or proforma invoice. The payment must come through your Authorised Dealer bank, which handles the export.

Under TRACE, a part of the Export Promotion Mission, MSME exporters with a valid IEC and Udyam registration can get part of the cost back. For certifications on the Positive List, such as CE, FDA and ISO, it pays 60% of the actual cost net of taxes or ₹25 lakh, whichever is lower. For the Priority Positive List, such as BRCGS, FSSC 22000 and HACCP, it pays 75% or ₹25 lakh, whichever is lower. The certification must be on the notified list.

Yes, under the Export Promotion Mission. MSME exporters get an interest subvention of 2.75% on pre- and post-shipment export credit. A collateral-support guarantee to lenders covers 85% for micro and small exporters and 65% for medium ones. E-commerce exporters can get credit with up to 90% guarantee cover, capped at ₹50 lakh. The older Interest Equalisation Scheme has closed, so ask your bank for the EPM components instead.

A preferential Certificate of Origin lets your buyer claim the lower duty under a trade agreement, if your product meets that agreement's rules of origin. The India–UK trade agreement (CETA) came into effect in July 2026, and agreements with the UAE, Australia, EFTA and Oman are also in force. Apply online on trade.gov.in to an authorised agency with the invoice and packing list. The fee is ₹600 for a preferential certificate and ₹200 for a non-preferential one.

The International Cooperation Scheme has a component for first-time micro and small exporters with Udyam registration. It reimburses part of costs such as the RCMC fee, the ECGC export insurance premium and testing and quality certification fees, each with its own cap. Your IEC must not be more than 3 years old on the date of the export shipment. The scheme is listed as live on myScheme, but its approval after March 2026 was not confirmed, so check the ic.msme.gov.in portal before you count on it.

First check whether the product falls under a BIS Quality Control Order; if it does, it cannot be imported without the BIS mark under a licence held by the foreign factory. File the bill of entry on ICEGATE in advance: for sea cargo, by the end of the day before the ship arrives, and for air cargo by the end of the arrival day; late filing attracts charges. Duty is built in layers: Basic Customs Duty, a Social Welfare Surcharge of 10% of the customs duties, and IGST, which you can claim as input credit if your GSTIN is on the bill of entry. Imported food must have at least 60% of its shelf life left, or three months, whichever is less.

Every company except a One Person Company must hold its annual general meeting within six months of the year end, by 30 September. Financial statements go to the Registrar in form AOC-4 within 30 days of the AGM, and the annual return MGT-7 (or the shorter MGT-7A for small companies) within 60 days. ADT-1 is due within 15 days of appointing the auditor, and DPT-3 by 30 June if loans or deposits were outstanding on 31 March. Late ROC forms carry an additional fee of ₹100 for each day of delay.

Every LLP files Form 11, the annual return, by 30 May and Form 8, the statement of account and solvency, by 30 October after the financial year. Each late form costs an additional fee of ₹100 a day. Designated partners hold a DIN, and DIN holders now file DIR-3 KYC once every three financial years by 30 June; those whose KYC was up to date are next due by 30 June 2028. If the KYC is missed, the DIN is deactivated and reactivation costs ₹5,000.

EPF applies once you have 20 or more employees; from 17 September 2026 the wage ceiling for compulsory coverage is ₹25,000 a month, up from ₹15,000, and employer and employee each pay 12% of wages. ESI applies at 10 or more employees in notified areas and covers workers earning up to ₹21,000 a month. Both contributions are due by the 15th of the next month. Late EPF attracts 12% yearly interest plus damages of 5% to 25% a year depending on the delay.

Yes, always write it down: who puts in how much money, who does what, how profit is shared and how a partner can exit. Most partner fights start where nothing was written. A partnership firm is registered with the state Registrar of Firms under the Indian Partnership Act, 1932, and stamp duty and fees vary by state. Registration also matters later: only a registered partnership firm can be recognised as a startup by DPIIT.

Yes. Companies that owe micro or small suppliers beyond 45 days must file MSME Form I with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs every half-year: by 31 October for April–September and by 30 April for October–March. Not filing attracts a penalty under section 405 of the Companies Act, 2013. You can remind the buyer of this duty, and if dues stay unpaid, file a case on the MSME Samadhaan portal.

The draft Insecticides (Amendment) Rules, 2026, published on 30 January 2026, require a one-year diploma in agriculture, horticulture or a related subject, or the one-year DAESI diploma from MANAGE or a recognised institute. DAESI is open to people who have at least appeared for the Class 10 exam, and runs 48 weeks. The course fee is ₹28,000; for licensed input dealers the government pays half, up to ₹14,000.

Every imported retail pack must carry the Legal Metrology declarations before it is sold, including the importer's name and address, net quantity and retail sale price. Companies that import packaged goods register under rule 27 of the Packaged Commodities Rules; since 29 May 2026 that certificate stays valid until cancelled, but details must be updated every year on the online portal. Selling packs without the importer's name, address and MRP is one of the common import mistakes.