India's public procurement of common-use goods and services is channeled primarily through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM), whose use is mandated by Rule 149 of the General Financial Rules (GFR) 2017 for goods/services available on the platform. GeM seller/service-provider registration is built around Indian identity credentials (PAN, GST, Aadhaar-OTP for the authorized signatory), so a foreign company cannot register directly as a seller; it operates through an Indian subsidiary, joint venture, or authorized Indian distributor/reseller (with OEM authorization) holding a valid Indian PAN and GST. Separately, the Public Procurement (Preference to Make in India) Order 2017 (DPIIT Order No. P-45021/2/2017-PP(BE-II), revised 19 July 2024) generally restricts Non-Local (foreign-content) suppliers from bidding: outside Global Tender Enquiries only Class-I (>=50% local content) and Class-II (>=20%) suppliers may bid; Non-Local suppliers become eligible only when a Global Tender Enquiry is issued. Under para 13A, for high-value procurements the nodal ministry notifies an upper threshold value above which foreign companies must enter a joint venture with an Indian company to participate.
Government e-Marketplace (GeM)
Government e-Marketplace (GeM), a Section 8 company under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry; procurement policy set by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) and the Department of Expenditure (General Financial Rules 2017)
Restricted for foreign companiesLocal entity / agent required
A foreign company cannot register directly as a seller on GeM; GeM seller registration is keyed to an Indian PAN, GST registration and Aadhaar-OTP verification of an Indian authorized signatory. A foreign firm must therefore act through an Indian legal presence — a wholly owned Indian subsidiary, a joint venture with an Indian partner, or an authorized Indian distributor/reseller — holding a valid Indian PAN, GST registration, and an Indian bank account. Where the Indian entity resells the foreign parent's products, an OEM Authorization Certificate (or 'Deemed OEM' authorization on OEM letterhead) is required, and OEMs undergo a GeM Vendor Assessment. On the bidding side, the MII Order 2017 (revised 2024) makes 'Non-Local suppliers' (local content below the Class-II threshold) eligible to bid ONLY in Global Tender Enquiries (para 3(b)); outside GTEs only Class-I (>=50% local content) and Class-II (>=20%) suppliers may bid. Purchase preference is reserved for Class-I local suppliers (margin 20%, para 6). Above a per-item upper threshold value notified by the nodal ministry (para 13A), foreign companies must form a joint venture with an Indian company to participate. Imported/repackaged/refurbished/rebranded products are excluded from local-content calculation (para 2), so imports do not earn purchase preference. Note: a Global Tender Enquiry is itself restricted for procurements below Rs. 200 Crore (it may not be issued below that value except with competent-authority approval — para 3(b)/Rule 161(iv)), which further narrows the routes by which a Non-Local supplier can bid.
Because direct foreign registration is not supported by the GeM credential model (Indian PAN/GST/Aadhaar), first establish an Indian legal presence: a wholly owned Indian subsidiary, a joint venture with an Indian partner, or appoint an authorized Indian distributor/reseller. Obtain an Indian PAN, GST registration, and an Indian current bank account for that entity.
Sign up on the GeM portal as a seller/service provider. Registration is verified against the entity PAN and GST, with Aadhaar/mobile OTP verification for the authorized signatory. Foreign companies cannot complete this step in their own name; the Indian entity registers.
Complete the organizational profile, link the Indian bank account, and confirm GST and PAN details. The account must be in the name of the registering Indian entity. MSME/Udyam registration is optional but unlocks benefits.
If listing products, register on the OEM panel or provide OEM authorization. A foreign OEM must appoint an authorized Indian representative or establish an Indian office/branch; where the Indian entity resells the foreign parent's products, an OEM Authorization Certificate (or 'Deemed OEM' authorization letter on OEM letterhead) is required. OEMs additionally undergo a Vendor Assessment (VA/VAE).
For each product/tender, declare local content status: Class-I local supplier (>=50% local content), Class-II (>=20% and <50%), or Non-Local (<20%). Under the MII Order 2017 (revised 2024), outside Global Tender Enquiries only Class-I and Class-II suppliers may bid; Non-Local (foreign-content) suppliers may bid only where a Global Tender Enquiry has been issued (para 3(b)). Class-I local suppliers receive purchase preference within a 20% margin (para 6). Above a per-item upper threshold value notified by the nodal ministry, foreign companies must form a JV with an Indian company (para 13A). Then bid on GeM tenders/bids or accept direct purchase orders.
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Varies per tender — not a fixed registration time.
General Financial Rules (GFR) 2017 — Rule 149 (mandatory use of GeM for available goods/services) and Rule 153(iii) (basis for the Make in India preference); Global Tender Enquiry governed by Rule 161(iv) GFR 2017. Public Procurement (Preference to Make in India) Order 2017, DPIIT (Order No. P-45021/2/2017-PP(BE-II)), originally dated 15 June 2017, revised 16 September 2020 and again 19 July 2024.
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This guide is grounded in official sources, last verified 2026-07-21.