Exploring Institutional and Operational Challenges in Global Value Chains: A Strategic Framework for Agri-Tech Startups in India

Global Value Chains (GVCs) play a vital role in enabling agri-tech startups to access international markets, enhance technological capabilities, and improve export competitiveness. Despite the rapid growth of agri-tech startups in India, their participation in GVCs remains constrained due to multiple structural and operational challenges. This study aims to identify and analyze the critical challenges affecting GVC participation of Indian agri-tech startups and develop a hierarchical structural model illustrating their interrelationships. A comprehensive literature review has been used to identify 7 major challenges related to institutional support, technological capability, digital integration, logistics infrastructure, compliance readiness, market access, and export competitiveness. The study employs the Total Interpretive Structural Modelling methodology to develop a strategic framework. The results reveal that institutional and policy support acts as the primary driving factor influencing technological capability and operational readiness, while digital traceability and logistics infrastructure function as linkage factors enabling compliance with international standards. Market access and export competitiveness were identified as highly dependent outcome factors. The study offers valuable insights for practitioners and policymakers by highlighting the need for coordinated investments in policy support, technology adoption, infrastructure development, and certification readiness to enhance the global competitiveness of Indian agri-tech startups.