Resources
Practitioner Picks · Updated March 2026
Tools & Resources for Indian SME Exporters
Handpicked by Shilpi Jain, Founder and Principal Consultant, SJ Global Consulting, Delhi NCR. Every tool here has been evaluated or deployed in active client engagements.
No sponsored listings. No paid placements. Where an affiliate link exists, it is marked clearly below the tool. The goal is one thing: to help Indian MSME exporters run leaner, more compliant operations.
ERP & Business Software
Operations, HR & Payroll Tools
Zoho One
ERP · CRM · Finance · InventoryA unified business suite covering CRM, inventory, invoicing, finance, HR, and payroll — all on one platform. Well-suited for Indian SMEs and exporters managing multi-department operations without the cost of enterprise ERP. India-specific compliance features including GST, TDS integration, and multi-currency invoicing make it a practical starting point for growing export businesses.
Explore Zoho One →Affiliate link — I may earn a commission if you sign up through this link, at no additional cost to you.
Zoho People
HR · Attendance · Leave · PerformanceCloud-based HR software built for growing Indian teams. Covers employee onboarding, attendance and leave management, performance tracking, and document storage — with India-specific configurations. A practical fit for export companies scaling their HR function without a dedicated in-house HR team.
Explore Zoho People →Affiliate link — I may earn a commission if you sign up through this link, at no additional cost to you.
Zoho Payroll
Payroll · PF · ESI · Professional Tax · TDSIndia-compliant payroll software handling salary processing, Provident Fund, ESI, professional tax, and TDS — with direct integration into Zoho Books and Zoho People. Particularly useful for SME exporters without a dedicated payroll function, reducing manual compliance effort and error risk significantly.
Explore Zoho Payroll →Affiliate link — I may earn a commission if you sign up through this link, at no additional cost to you.
Trade & Compliance
Government Portals Every Exporter Should Know
DGFT Portal
IEC · EPCG · Advance Authorisation · FTPThe Directorate General of Foreign Trade portal is the starting point for every Indian exporter — IEC registration, Advance Authorisation, EPCG scheme applications, and access to India's Foreign Trade Policy. Scheme notifications and policy circulars are posted here first. Bookmark and check regularly.
Visit DGFT Portal →ECGC — Export Credit Guarantee Corporation
Export Credit Insurance · Risk Cover · RELIEF SchemeECGC provides credit risk insurance on export receivables — protecting Indian exporters against buyer default, political risk, and payment delays. Particularly relevant for SMEs extending credit terms to overseas buyers in newer or higher-risk markets. ECGC is also the implementing body for the Rs 497 crore RELIEF scheme for West Asia-affected exporters.
Visit ECGC →Ministry of Commerce & Industry
Trade Policy · Export Schemes · FTA UpdatesPrimary source for India's trade policy announcements, export incentive scheme notifications, and FTA updates including the India-EU FTA. If a new scheme launches or a policy changes, this is where it is officially communicated first.
Visit Ministry of Commerce →ICEGATE — Indian Customs EDI Gateway
Customs · Shipping Bills · Bill of Entry · Duty DrawbackIndia's national portal for customs documentation — filing shipping bills, bills of entry, tracking duty drawback status, and accessing customs-related notifications. Every Indian exporter dealing with customs clearance needs to be familiar with ICEGATE. It is also the portal for checking IGST refund status on exports.
Visit ICEGATE →Mentorship & Women Entrepreneurship
Platforms for Women-Led Export Businesses
WEP — Women Entrepreneurship Platform
Mentorship · Funding · Networks · GovernmentIndia's government-backed platform for women entrepreneurs — offering access to mentors, funding opportunities, skilling programmes, and industry networks. As an active WEP mentor, I work with women-led SMEs on export readiness, EXIM compliance, and business operations setup. If you are building a women-led export business, WEP is worth exploring — both for mentorship access and for credibility in B2B conversations.
Join WEP Community →Further Reading from the SJ Global Blog
Practical advisory for Indian exporters and MSMEs — no jargon, no fluff
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