India's Software Technology Park (STP) scheme recorded exports worth ₹7.73 lakh crore in financial year 2025-26, cementing its position as one of the country's largest foreign exchange earners, according to data tabled in Parliament by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). The figures mark a significant milestone for the 100 per cent export-oriented scheme, which now counts 2,125 software technology parks operating across India.

Scale of the STP Scheme

Established to promote software and IT-enabled services (IT/ITeS) exports, the STP scheme has scaled into a nationwide infrastructure backbone for India's technology industry. Total investment channelled into STPs during FY2025-26 stood at ₹7,362.86 crore, according to the parliamentary statement. The scheme is administered by Software Technology Parks of India (STPI), a government body under MeitY.

Ease of Doing Business Reforms

STPI has rolled out a series of process reforms aimed at reducing friction for IT exporters. Statutory services — including SOFTEX filing, its approval, and final intimation — have been fully automated, enabling faster and more consistent service delivery. The earlier case-by-case import permission model has been replaced with blanket import permissions valid for the full financial year, cutting down procedural delays for registered units.

Additionally, the requirement for prior Domestic Tariff Area (DTA) permissions for STPI-registered units has been replaced with a self-declaration mechanism, except for advance DTA sales in the first year of operation — a shift that reduces regulatory burden on new entrants.

RBI Integration and Real-Time Data Sharing

A notable structural upgrade has been the integration of STPI's online export system with the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) Export Data Processing and Monitoring System (EDPMS). This link enables near real-time electronic transmission of export declaration data to the RBI, improving accuracy, reducing manual intervention, and strengthening monitoring of export transactions. The integration also streamlines regulatory compliance for IT/ITeS exporters operating under the STP framework.

Single-Window Clearance and What Comes Next

STPI has consolidated approvals under a single-window clearance system, simplifying the compliance pathway for units registered under the scheme. The government has indicated it will continue to expand support programmes for the IT sector nationwide. With global demand for IT services remaining robust and India's technology export base continuing to grow, the STP scheme is likely to remain central to the country's foreign exchange strategy in the years ahead.