Amazon is set to enable $8 billion in exports from India this year

Haryana-based biotechnologist Shyam Arya is a 30-year veteran of the cosmetics industry. And he's on a mission to promote safe, organic hair colour products. “We had a breakthrough when we adopted e-commerce exports in 2017 through Amazon Global Selling, as we were able to sell directly to customers across the world,” says Arya, whose venture Indus Cosmeceuticals now has customers in over 25 countries. The company owns a bunch of best-selling natural hair colour D2C brands on Amazon and its products have received hundreds of positive reviews. Its Minai Brow (made from henna) is a top seller across the UAE, Europe, and Australia.

“Very easy to use, made my hair a gorgeous rich colour with no harsh chemicals and especially important to me is that it is a cruelty-free choice, no animal testing. On opening the package, I was surprised to find much more than I’d expected: a lovely application brush, conditioner and hair masks. I will be using this again and again!” reads a review by Nancy Juby, a Canada-based customer.

Today, Amazon Global Selling has over 125,000 exporters from 28 states and 7 union territories—from Telangana and Karnataka to Jammu and Kashmir and West Bengal.

Cumulative exports by Indian exporters through Amazon Global Selling is set to surpass $8 billion in 2023. The number was $5 billion around the same time last year, data from Amazon’s Exports Digest 2023 shows. Exporters from 25 cities cumulatively crossed $10 million in sales last year.

"The MSME sector, which contributes significantly to our economy, plays a critical role in achieving our vision of an Atmanirbhar Bharat. With its vibrant and dynamic nature, this sector fosters entrepreneurship and generates employment opportunities. To unlock its full potential, we must encourage manufacturing, entrepreneurship, and international expansion,” says Narayan Tatu Rane, Union Minister for MSMEs, Government of India. “E-commerce exports, facilitated by programs like Amazon Global Selling, offer Indian MSMEs unparalleled opportunities to showcase their products globally. With enabling policies and support, we can turn our Prime Minister's vision into a reality and become a global export powerhouse," Rane adds.

Amazon Global Selling is a flagship e-commerce exports program that helps lower the entry barrier for Indian small businesses—many of them first-generation entrepreneurs and emerging brands—to start or expand their exports business using e-commerce. First launched in 2015, the program enables exporters to showcase millions of Made in India products to customers worldwide through Amazon’s 18+ international websites in countries such as the U.S., UK, UAE, Australia, and several others. Over 266 million Made in India products have been exported through the Amazon Global Selling program till date. In 2022 alone, more than 1,200 Indian exporters crossed Rs 1 crore in sales. Amazon aims to enable $20 billion in cumulative e-commerce exports from India by 2025.

“The program is seeing remarkable momentum and resonates in the success of tens of thousands of exporters who are selling millions of Made in India products to customers globally. We will continue working with all stakeholders and lakhs of small businesses and start-ups till we reach our goal in cumulative e-commerce exports,” says Vivek Somareddy, VP Seller Fulfilment, Emerging Markets and India Exports, Amazon. The U.S., UK, Canada, Germany, UAE, France, Italy, Spain, Mexico, and Saudi Arabia are the top 10 international marketplaces for Indian sellers. Cross-border e-commerce embodies soft power. Besides boosting India’s exports-driven economy, it has a big role to play in promoting India’s heritage and culture.

In 2022, the toys category experienced exceptional growth in exports, with sales surging by over 50% compared to the previous year. Home and Kitchen products followed closely, achieving a remarkable growth rate of over 35%. The beauty products segment witnessed over 25% growth, while both the furniture and luggage segments reported growth rates exceeding 20%.

In addition to Arya’s ICPL, several Indian entrepreneurs and businesses such as Aadvik Foods (consumables), Native Fab (home textiles), SG Enterprises (toys), Handicraft Home (home décor), and Luxmi Estates have emerged as globally successful brands, underlining the popularity of Made in India products.

Naman Jain, Business Head at Linen Home says, “We started exports to the U.S. through Amazon in 2017. Seeing a positive response from customers, we swiftly expanded our product line to include duvet covers, fitted sheets, and flat sheets. Our business on Amazon Global Selling doubled last year and we are experiencing an even higher demand in recent months.” The company has expanded its e-commerce team from 5 to 20 people in the last year.

Amazon Global Selling’s reach reflects the collective strength and innovative spirt of India's entrepreneurial eco-system. For instance, the program now has exporters from over 200 cities, including tier 2 towns such as Sri Ganganagar (Rajasthan), Neemuch (Madhya Pradesh), Moradabad (Uttar Pradesh), Tiruvallur (Tamil Nadu), and Kolhapur (Maharashtra).