Key Highlights

  • Dedicated storefront: The Government e-Marketplace (GeM) is promoting ‘The AABHAR Collection’, a digital storefront of curated gift items and hampers.
  • Wide range: The collection includes handicrafts, handlooms, artisanal foods, pantry products and personal care items, including ODOP and GI-tagged products.
  • Emporium network: It features 294 product catalogue listings from 10 State and Central Handloom and Handicraft Emporiums.
  • More sellers coming: Seven additional government emporiums and organisations are at an advanced stage of seller onboarding.
  • Who benefits: Artisans, weavers, rural entrepreneurs and women-led enterprises gain direct access to public procurement.

Government gifting in India is getting a distinctly local touch. The Government e-Marketplace (GeM) is promoting ‘The AABHAR Collection’, a dedicated digital storefront of curated gift items and hampers that reflect India’s cultural heritage, according to an official statement issued on Monday.

The collection brings together handicrafts, handlooms, artisanal foods, pantry products and personal care items. It is designed to give government buyers ready gifting options for official ceremonies, conferences, state events, foreign delegations, employee recognition, retirement functions and festive occasions.

According to the statement, the storefront features products linked to the One District, One Product (ODOP) initiative and items carrying Geographical Indication (GI) tags. This gives government buyers easy access to distinctive regional products while supporting artisans, weavers, rural entrepreneurs and women-led enterprises.

“The ‘AABHAR Collection’ marks an important milestone in enhancing visibility of indigenous arts and crafts, showcasing the rich tapestry of Indian heritage and culture, and empowering underserved seller groups through the network of Central and State Handicraft and Handloom Emporiums,” said Mihir Kumar, Chief Executive Officer, GeM.

Ten Emporiums, 294 Listings

The collection currently features 294 product catalogue listings from 10 State and Central Handloom and Handicraft Emporiums. According to the Commerce Ministry, these include COTTAGE from Central Cottage Industries Emporium, KHADI INDIA from the Khadi and Village Industries Commission, Garvi Gurjari (Gujarat), Himcrafts (Himachal Pradesh), Jharcraft (Jharkhand), Cauvery (Karnataka), Mrignayani (Madhya Pradesh), Marhati (Maharashtra), Purbashree (NorthEast) and Poompuhar (Tamil Nadu).

The catalogue is set to grow further. Seven additional government emporiums and organisations are at an advanced stage of completing the seller onboarding process, after which they will be able to offer their curated products through the AABHAR Collection storefront.

“The idea was to provide an effective market linkage to the country’s artisanal ecosystem by integrating them through this #VocalForLocal storefront on GeM with the country’s public procurement landscape,” said Ajit B. Chavan, Additional Chief Executive Officer, GeM. He added that the collection enables Ministries, Departments, public sector undertakings (PSUs) and other government buyers to meet gifting needs while supporting indigenous products and local livelihoods.

Why It Matters

For many artisans and weavers, the biggest hurdle has never been skill but steady demand and market access. Government departments and PSUs buy gifts in large volumes throughout the year, and channelling even a part of that spending towards handcrafted products can create a reliable revenue stream for small producers.

Routing these products through established State and Central emporiums also solves a practical problem. Individual artisans often lack the paperwork and scale needed to sell on a public procurement platform, while emporiums can aggregate their work, maintain quality and handle compliance.

The initiative also gives a diplomatic dimension to Indian crafts. Gifts presented to foreign delegations and at state events can serve as cultural ambassadors, introducing GI-tagged and ODOP products to audiences far beyond their home regions. If the onboarding of the seven additional emporiums goes as planned, the AABHAR Collection could become a regular first stop for official gifting, turning a routine administrative expense into steady support for India’s craft economy.