A first export shipment brings costs before it brings a repeat order: council registration, insurance and product testing can all arrive early. Knowing which support route to ask about helps you keep the right records while planning the shipment.
This guide explains a government statement dated 3 April 2025. Confirm the applicable terms through the official sources before relying on support for your own business.
What the support is for
The Ministry of MSME runs an International Cooperation scheme, and one component is called Capacity Building of First Time MSE Exporters (CBFTE). Its idea is simple: soften some of the early costs of starting to export. According to the PIB release of 3 April 2025, it reimburses new Micro and Small Enterprise exporters for certain costs they have already incurred. The same release says the Ministry's Export Facilitation Centres offer handholding on documentation, market access, financing and training.
Two distinctions matter:
- MSE is narrower than MSME. For this component the release names micro and small enterprises. A medium enterprise should not assume it qualifies.
- Reimbursement is not upfront cash. You pay the cost first. Any support comes afterwards, and only if a claim is accepted.
The three reimbursement heads
The release lists three kinds of cost:
- RCMC, the Registration-cum-Membership Certificate obtained through an Export Promotion Council.
- Export insurance premium.
- Testing and quality certification for exports.
The PIB release does not specify amounts, percentages or deadlines. The NSIC scheme page links amended guidelines dated 9 May 2023. Check the applicable guidance before budgeting for a reimbursement.
Facts worth gathering first
Each head depends on paperwork, so start one tidy record:
- Your Udyam registration details and whether you are classed as micro or small.
- Your Importer Exporter Code (IEC) and when it was issued.
- The Export Promotion Council you joined, your RCMC, and what you paid.
- Insurance premium receipts and the policy they relate to.
- Test reports, certificates and invoices, with dates.
- Records of what you shipped, to which destination, and when.
Which of these a claim needs, and in what form, is set by the scheme's current guidelines and whoever handles the claim.
Where WCL can help
WCL is a private freight forwarding and customs clearance company. We are not a government body, we do not approve or decide claims, and we cannot promise eligibility or support. What we can do is help with the shipment side: coordinating cargo and shipping documents so your records are accurate, complete and easy to find later.
For eligibility or claim questions, use the official sources below or an Export Facilitation Centre. For legal, tax or credit matters, speak to a qualified professional.
To discuss a shipment, email webq@wclogistic.in or use our quote page.
For related early-stage questions, see our guides to ECGC credit insurance and exporter visibility on Trade Connect.
Sources and check note
Sources checked on 1 November 2026:
- PIB, Ministry of MSME, 3 April 2025: primary source for the three heads and Export Facilitation Centres.
- myScheme listing for the scheme: the official discovery page. Look here for current details.
- NSIC International Cooperation page: lists amended guidelines.
We have not verified any current application window, claim process or any individual enterprise's eligibility. Nothing here is legal, tax or credit advice.