India is set to introduce global tendering features on its government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal, allowing international companies including British firms to take part in Indian government tenders. This big step in procurement and supply chain management comes after the successful India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA), according to a senior official. Currently, the GeM portal is mainly used by Indian government departments and agencies for purchasing goods and services. These new features will let foreign suppliers join tenders floated by Indian government buyers, making the procurement process more competitive and efficient. GeM CEO Mihir Kumar said the new procurement supply chain tools will also include a ‘rate contract’ feature. This allows government buyers to purchase at fixed, pre-approved prices for a specific time usually between three months to a year helping reduce the need for repeated bidding.