Government Initiatives Accelerate MSME Digitisation and Export Potential
New Delhi, June 30 – Speaking at the inauguration of the CII MSME Rise Summit, Bharat Kheda, Secretary of the Ministry of MSMEs, outlined how a suite of government programmes is fast‑tracking the digital transformation of India's MSME sector.
Kheda cited impressive data: enterprise registrations have increased five‑fold in the last three years, crossing 8.8 crore, while institutional credit has risen from about ₹10 lakh crore in 2014 to nearly ₹37 lakh crore today. The Credit Guarantee Scheme has provided guarantees for roughly ₹30 lakh crore in loans, underscoring the depth of financial support.
Key interventions include 53 technology centres that deliver cutting‑edge solutions to small firms, the MSME Champions Programme which recognises high‑performing enterprises, and the Atmanirbhar Bharat Fund that offers capital for innovation. A dedicated digital commerce platform and reforms in public procurement further expand market access.
Additional Secretary Atish Kumar Singh of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade highlighted the role of platforms like CII in conveying grassroots feedback to policymakers, enabling continuous improvement of schemes. He encouraged MSME owners to fully exploit these measures, report implementation obstacles and uphold transparency, tax compliance and responsible conduct.
Mihir Kumar, CEO of the Government e‑Marketplace (GeM), reported that GeM has made public procurement more transparent and equitable. Approximately 45 % of purchases through the portal now originate from MSMEs, exceeding the government's target and demonstrating the sector's growing integration into public supply chains.
Industry voice Prakash Kumar of SDB emphasized that formalisation, digitisation, quality upgrades and sustainability are vital for future growth. He called for greater green finance, digital lending, capacity‑building, AI adoption, cyber‑security, energy efficiency and export‑readiness.
ONDC senior vice‑president Uttkarsh Ghoswami added that India's digital public infrastructure – including ONDC, Aadhaar and UPI – simplifies entry into online markets, reduces costs for small enterprises and boosts competition.
CII National MSME Council President Sunil Choradia summarised the strategic pillars that will shape the sector's competitiveness: policy reform, robust finance and risk management, productivity and global market access, digital transformation, and innovation‑driven capability building.
Shrikant Somani, Chair of the Council’s Sustainability and CBAM Readiness Committee, urged Indian MSMEs to move beyond mere survival toward becoming resilient, robust and sustainable enterprises, stressing the need for stronger industrial clusters, OEM‑MSME partnerships, coordinated central‑state policies and shared infrastructure development.