Key Highlights
- Costco Wholesale’s merchandising team and CEO met directly with Indian exporters via the India-USA Trade Facilitation Portal on 24 April 2026
- The portal is developed by the Consulate General of India, New York, to connect Indian exporters with US importers
- This was the portal’s first webinar — further virtual exhibitions and buyer-seller connects are planned
- Costco is the world’s third-largest retailer with annual sales of approximately $249.6 billion and over 310,000 employees worldwide
- GJEPC members used the extended Q&A to raise questions on compliance, sourcing norms and US market entry requirements
- Consul General Shri Prakash Gupta, Seattle, attended in support, referencing his prior meeting with Costco’s CEO
- The initiative provides Indian gems and jewellery exporters a structured institutional channel to one of the world’s highest-volume retail buyers
In a first-of-its-kind engagement, Indian exporters registered on the India-USA Trade Facilitation Portal participated in a dedicated webinar with Costco Wholesale’s merchandising team and CEO on 24 April, gaining direct insight into the retailer’s sourcing strategy, product categories and supplier onboarding processes.
The session — organised through the portal developed by the Consulate General of India, New York — was conducted exclusively for registered Indian exporters and ran simultaneously at 8:30 AM IST and 11:00 PM New York time, reflecting the cross-timezone coordination of the initiative. GJEPC members engaged directly with Costco’s leadership during an extended Q&A, raising queries on compliance, sourcing norms and market entry requirements.
Shri Prakash Gupta, Consul General of India, Seattle — noting his recent meeting with Costco’s CEO and the significance of Seattle as the retailer’s global headquarters — attended the session in support of the initiative. Smt. Rajlakshmi Appasaheb Kadam, Consul Trade, Consulate General of India, New York, coordinated and conducted the webinar.
This marks the portal’s inaugural webinar. Further engagements are planned, including virtual exhibitions and buyer-seller connects. For Indian jewellery and gems exporters, the initiative opens a structured, institutional channel to one of the world’s largest retail buyers — Costco ranks as the third-largest global retailer with annual sales of approximately $249.6 billion.
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