Commerce Secretary, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, has launched "Niryat Bandhu @ Your Desktop" an online certificate programme in export import business under the Niryat Bandhu Scheme of the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Department of Commerce.

The objective of the Niryat Bandhu Scheme is to reach out to the new and potential exporters and mentor them through orientation programmes, counselling sessions, individual facilitation, etc., for being able to get into international trade and boost exports from India.

More than 18,000 people were given orientation on export import business under the Scheme during the financial year 2014-15. As part of Foreign Trade Policy 2015-20, the Department of Commerce has decided to galvanize Niryat Bandhu Scheme and reposition it to achieve the objectives of "Skill India".

With this objective in view, the DGFT has now collaborated with Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT), a national centre of excellence for development of human resource in the field of international trade management, to launch this innovative online programme for exporters and entrepreneurs.