One of India’s leading ecommerce companies, Flipkart has launched a new programme to give buyers in nearly 200 countries across the globe access to its products, specifically those that are manufactured in India. Media reports on the company’s new thrust indicate that Indian jewellery will be one of the key product categories, the others being saris, handicrafts and accessories, among others.

‘Flipkart Global’ as the programme is known, comes close on the heels of the completion of the acquisition of eBay.in, which itself was a part of a recent infusion of capital into the Indian ecommerce start up by global investors including Tencent, eBay and Microsoft.

Flipkart officials have told the press that the aim is to focus on ‘Made in India’ products, and the focus of sales will be primarily the large NRI populations across the globe. In the first phase, it will only be open to sellers under the ‘Gold’ category, but eventually all other sellers will also be allowed to participate.

Under this programme, an estimated 25,000 existing retail export sellers listed on eBay India will move to Flipkart Global and over 171 million active customers of eBay in over 190 international markets will have direct access to these and other products, it is reported. Orders will be fulfilled through tie-ups with various domestic and international carriers, including some whom Flipkart has already partnered with under the 'Global Powership', and others like India Post, with whom the erstwhile eBay.in had a tie-up.

Flipkart will be interacting with sellers across India over the next few weeks to help them make the switchover.

Anil Goteti, Head Marketplace at Flipkart and Head of eBay India was quoted as saying that it would benefit the “many SMEs who have unique products but don't know how to make them available to global buyers”.