New York, USA – The India Pavilion at NY NOW, jointly organized by the Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH) and Expo Bazaar, a subsidiary of India Expo Mart & Centre (IEML), marked a significant milestone in strengthening India’s long-term export strategy for the U.S. home and lifestyle market.
The pavilion showcased a curated selection of products from multiple Indian factories and artisan clusters, aimed at reflecting the depth, diversity, and craftsmanship of India’s handicrafts sector.
“More importantly, the initiative demonstrated a shared commitment by EPCH and Expo Bazaar to establish a scalable Just-In-Time (JIT) supply-chain model, enabling U.S. retailers to access Indian products with immediate local availability through U.S.-based fulfilment infrastructure,” the press release from organizers said.
CoA Member, EPCH K. N. Tulasi highlighted the strong commercial relevance of the initiative and expressed confidence in its long-term potential. In his speech, he noted that this model significantly enhances India’s competitiveness in the U.S. market by bridging the gap between traditional sourcing timelines and the evolving needs of American retailers. The availability of Indian products through local fulfilment, he added, offers buyers greater flexibility, faster replenishment cycles, and improved inventory planning.
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Senior Vice President-Global Operations at Expo Bazaar Jitin Prashar, emphasized that the Just-In-Time supply chain being developed by Expo Bazaar represents a fundamental shift in how Indian handicrafts are positioned for international markets.
By building a responsive supply chain originating from India and supported by overseas warehousing, Expo Bazaar is enabling an efficient, demand-driven, and scalable export model, Prashar added.
He further highlighted that this approach allows U.S. buyers to access a vast and continuously evolving product assortment with significantly reduced lead times, while simultaneously empowering Indian manufacturers and artisan clusters with sustained demand visibility.
The model not only simplifies procurement for international retailers but also creates a structural pathway for increasing exports from India by aligning production, inventory, and distribution more closely with market demand, he noted.
Prashar said Expo Bazaar intends to participate in additional leading international trade shows to expand awareness and adoption of this initiative across global markets.
Director General, EPCH and Chairman, India Expo Mart & Centre Dr. Rakesh Kumar, underscored the broader strategic vision underpinning this collaboration. He noted that Expo Bazaar has already established similar showrooms and fulfilment centers across key European markets, creating a strong foundation for international distribution. Building on this success, there are plans to further strengthen the ecosystem by developing fulfilment and consolidation capabilities within India, enabling faster and more efficient inventory replenishment from India to the U.S. and Europe, he said.
Such an integrated, end-to-end supply-chain framework is essential for positioning India as a reliable, responsive, and future-ready sourcing destination, Kumar said, adding that initiatives like the India Pavilion at NY NOW exemplify how industry-led execution, supported by institutional frameworks, can unlock new growth avenues for Indian handicrafts in global markets.