India Showcases Trade Opportunities and Diaspora Brands at Brooklyn’s AAPI Festival of Tea

The Consulate General of India (CGI) in New York participated in the second edition of the Smorgasburg AAPI Festival of Tea, held at two of Brooklyn’s best-known open-air venues, Williamsburg on May 23 and Prospect Park on May 24. Despite overcast skies and intermittent rain, the festival attracted more than 10,000 visitors over the weekend.

According to a statement from the Consulate, CGI New York led India’s official presence at the festival by showcasing a selection of diaspora-founded brands and promoting the India–USA Trade Facilitation Portal, a government-backed digital platform designed to connect verified Indian exporters with U.S. importers across both goods and services sectors.

Promoting the Trade Facilitation Portal

The Trade Facilitation Portal served as the centerpiece of the Consulate’s participation. Developed to strengthen the India-U.S. trade corridor, the platform aims to streamline business connections by replacing fragmented broker networks with a centralized directory of vetted Indian suppliers, the statement said.

Key features of the portal include:

• A vetted exporter database that provides U.S. importers with direct access to verified partners
• Virtual exhibitions featuring Indian products and services across multiple sectors
• Educational webinars covering U.S. market trends, compliance requirements, and business opportunities
• Dedicated support for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and participants in the One District One Product (ODOP) initiative

According to the Consulate, the festival generated increased registrations and interest from U.S. businesses and importers while facilitating direct engagement with buyers, retail and hospitality operators, and food and lifestyle media representatives.

Several U.S. importers and buyers attending the event shared their experiences sourcing products from India and highlighted the portal’s role in simplifying cross-border trade.

One importer said the platform had significantly reduced the time and effort required to identify reliable suppliers. “It took me an entire year to find communities like these. With the India Portal, procuring products has become easy,” she said.

She noted that her business relies on ingredients that are uniquely sourced from India. “These are Ayurvedic products, an ancient science. They can’t be made here, because we don’t get the freshest, purest ingredients. They have to be made in India, using the traditional methods that are still followed there.”

Her company, Pure Mitti, sources ingredients directly from rural Indian farmers. “It’s a win-win,” she added. “You find the best exporters, and they find the best importers.”

The Consulate said the curated vendor lineup “spanned food, specialty coffee, wellness, and handcrafted décor.” Participating brands included Brooklyn Curry Project, which featured regional Indian cuisine and chai along with an interactive “Build Your Chai” experience; Yeri Coffee, offering single-origin specialty coffee from the Western Ghats; Pure Mitti, known for Ayurvedic and sustainable home and personal care products; and Amara Xpressions, which showcased handcrafted rattan furniture and décor.

The festival’s emphasis on tea and coffee coincided with growing trade opportunities between India and the United States. India remains the world’s second-largest tea exporter, with tea exports reaching a record 280.40 million kilograms in 2025. The United States continues to be one of India’s leading export markets, importing 15.21 million kilograms of Indian tea during the year.

India is also the world’s sixth-largest coffee producer, supported by increasing U.S. demand for ethically sourced, single-origin specialty coffee.

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