What Happened
The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME Ministry) organized a National Seminar focusing on enabling MSMEs to transition from local to global markets via digital commerce. The event was held at IIT Madras in Chennai on August 18, in collaboration with the Entrepreneurship cell of IIT Madras. The seminar aimed to bring together MSMEs, entrepreneurs, students, policymakers, financial institutions, export ecosystem stakeholders, and digital commerce experts to explore pathways for MSMEs to access national and international markets.
During the seminar, Shri Praveen Yadav, Additional Chief Secretary, MSME Department, Government of Tamil Nadu, delivered a special address. Prof Manu Santhanam, Dean, IC&SR of IIT Madras, also highlighted the role of innovation and academia-industry collaboration. Shri Hansraj Verma, Director General, Council of State Industrial Development & Investment Corporation of India, spoke on the importance of quality and digitization. Shri Dhayalan, Director & Head, MSME DFO Chennai, delivered the keynote address.
Key Facts
- The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME Ministry), through its MSME Development & Facilitation Office, Chennai, organized the seminar.
- The National Seminar was titled “From Local to Global: Enabling Export-Ready MSMEs through Digital Commerce.”
- The event took place at IIT Madras, Chennai, on August 18.
- It was held in collaboration with the Entrepreneurship cell of IIT Madras.
- Participants included MSMEs, entrepreneurs, students, policymakers, financial institutions, export ecosystem stakeholders, and digital commerce experts.
- Experts and officials from DGFT, EXIM Bank, ECGC, IIT Madras, and e-commerce consulting domains provided insights during technical sessions.
- Topics covered included export procedures, trade finance, export risk mitigation, market identification, international payments, compliance, digital onboarding, and e-commerce leverage.
- The seminar was part of the Procurement & Marketing Support (PMS) Scheme of the Ministry of MSME, under its capacity-building interventions.
Why It Matters
The seminar provided a platform for MSMEs to gain practical knowledge and direct access to experts on digital commerce and export readiness. This initiative reflects the MSME Ministry's commitment to strengthening market access, digital adoption, and export preparedness for Indian enterprises.
What To Watch
Further initiatives under the Procurement & Marketing Support Scheme of the MSME Ministry, particularly those focused on capacity building, market access, and export-import procedures for MSMEs, remain relevant. Continued collaboration between government bodies, academic institutions, and industry experts in supporting MSMEs' global market access is also a point to observe.