The Indian government has partnered with Alibaba.com, a Chinese e-commerce platform, on an export-focused program. This initiative aims to help Indian startups and small businesses reach international buyers. The collaboration is part of the government’s Startup India initiative, which will identify and support startups that can assist in onboarding and scaling Indian exporters on Alibaba’s global B2B platform. The program offers commissions and technical support to these startups so they can help small manufacturers and traders access overseas markets.
This move highlights New Delhi’s selective engagement with Chinese-linked technology platforms. It comes years after India imposed sweeping bans on dozens of Chinese consumer apps and games in 2020 following a deadly border clash. Major platforms like TikTok, PUBG Mobile, and AliExpress remain restricted. The government’s public collaboration with Alibaba.com, therefore, represents a carefully circumscribed form of engagement focused on business-to-business exports, rather than a broader policy reset.
India’s export ambitions are closely tied to its small businesses. Micro, small, and medium enterprises account for nearly half of the country’s exports and about 31% of its GDP, according to the government’s latest Economic Survey. This underscores why New Delhi is focused on expanding digital market access for smaller firms through global B2B channels like Alibaba.com.
Alibaba.com’s B2B platform connects more than 50 million active buyers across over 200 countries and regions. Rocky Lu, head of India business at Alibaba.com, stated that the company has been active in India for over two decades and remains dedicated to empowering small businesses to scale globally. He emphasized their focus on leveraging digital infrastructure to help ‘Made in India’ products reach an international audience.
Lu did not confirm if this marks Alibaba.com’s first direct federal partnership since 2020. He noted, however, that the company has consistently engaged with various government and semi-government bodies integral to the Indian export ecosystem through training programs and collaborations.
The partnership reflects India’s differentiated approach toward China, maintaining restrictions in strategic sectors while allowing economic engagement where there is clear benefit. Policy experts note that regulatory clarity and a predictable policy environment will be important for startups to feel confident participating in such initiatives.
Analysts observe that the Indian government seems to be drawing a distinction between export-focused platforms and consumer-facing Chinese apps. New Delhi sees value in Alibaba’s role in supporting B2B exports, particularly given the platform’s reach in markets like Africa, which could help Indian exporters diversify. This approach mirrors China’s own policy of banning foreign consumer apps while allowing its exporters to use platforms like Facebook and Google for business.
The Startup India collaboration follows other recent steps by Alibaba.com to expand in India, including the launch of its Trade Assurance program in June 2025 to help Indian exporters manage risks in cross-border transactions.
These developments coincide with tentative signs of improved India-China engagement in multilateral technology forums, with Chinese representatives expected to attend an upcoming AI summit in New Delhi. Indian officials, however, have not indicated any change to the restrictions on Chinese consumer technology platforms. The Indian commerce ministry did not respond to a request for comment on the partnership.