How to find government customers in India using public tenders

An introduction to GeM, the Central Public Procurement Portal and defence innovation programmes for startups selling to the public sector in India.

By Prathmesh Soni. Published .

Key takeaways

  • Public procurement in India is largely visible through portals such as GeM and the Central Public Procurement Portal.
  • Tender data shows who buys what, how often, and who wins, which is useful for both sales and competitor research.
  • Programmes such as iDEX create a route for startups to work with defence buyers.

Where are Indian government tenders published?

  • GeM (Government e-Marketplace), used by central and state government buyers for many goods and services.
  • The Central Public Procurement Portal, which lists tenders from central government ministries and organisations.
  • State procurement portals and the websites of individual public sector organisations.

What can tender data tell you?

Looking at past tenders shows which departments buy products like yours, the technical requirements they write, typical contract sizes and timelines, and which companies are bidding and winning. That helps you decide whether a public-sector market is worth pursuing and how to qualify for it.

What about defence?

Defence buying has its own processes and is less visible, but programmes such as iDEX (Innovations for Defence Excellence) run open challenges and publish winners, which gives startups a structured entry point.

“Doing a competitor analysis in a deep-tech sector, especially for defence, is quite tough, and I definitely benefited from this.”

Shubham Datta, Founder, BORTEX

What should a startup prepare before bidding?

Read several past tenders in your area to understand the eligibility criteria, which may include turnover, years in operation or certifications, and check whether startup relaxations apply. Plan for longer sales cycles than in private markets.

Frequently asked questions

Can startups sell to the Indian government?

Yes. Startups can register as sellers on GeM, and some procurement rules include relaxations for eligible startups. Check the current rules for each tender.

Is tender data free to access?

Published tenders on the main portals can be viewed publicly, although detailed analysis across many tenders takes time.

How long do government sales take?

Usually longer than private-sector sales, because of formal processes, approvals and budget cycles.