India Hosts First BRICS MSME Forum in Agra, Calls for Stronger Cooperation to Empower Small Businesses

Agra: The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), Government of India, successfully hosted the First BRICS MSME Forum and the Third SME Working Group Meeting in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, under the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.”

The landmark event brought together policymakers, government officials, industry leaders, entrepreneurs and stakeholders from BRICS member and partner countries, including Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, South Africa, the UAE, Belarus, Cuba, Malaysia, Uganda and India.

The programme commenced with an exhibition showcasing the diversity, innovation and achievements of MSMEs across sectors, highlighting their growing contribution to economic development and employment generation.

The Third SME Working Group Meeting focused on the theme “Building MSME Ecosystem – Sustainable Roots to Global Routes,” with participating countries sharing policy initiatives and best practices aimed at strengthening small business ecosystems and enhancing global competitiveness.

Addressing the inaugural session of the BRICS MSME Forum, Union Minister for MSME Jitan Ram Manjhi emphasized the critical role of MSMEs as engines of economic growth, innovation, employment generation and inclusive development across BRICS nations and the Global South.

He called for deeper cooperation among BRICS countries in areas such as affordable finance, technology adoption, digital transformation, market access, skill development and sustainability. The Minister reaffirmed India’s commitment to building a resilient and inclusive MSME ecosystem aligned with the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 and stressed the need for collaborative efforts to strengthen innovation, global value chains and sustainable development.

Bhupendra Chaudhary, Minister of MSME, Government of Uttar Pradesh, highlighted the state’s emergence as a hub of entrepreneurship, innovation and traditional craftsmanship. He pointed to the success of initiatives such as One District One Product (ODOP) in empowering local entrepreneurs, strengthening livelihoods and improving access to global markets.

Delivering the keynote address, Bharat Khera, Secretary, Ministry of MSME, underscored the importance of moving beyond dialogue towards actionable cooperation in areas such as access to finance, digitalisation, technology adoption, sustainability and integration into global value chains. He also highlighted India’s Digital Public Infrastructure as a transformative tool for empowering MSMEs and enhancing their competitiveness.

Dr Rajneesh, Additional Secretary and Development Commissioner, Ministry of MSME, presented the outcomes of the three BRICS SME Working Group Meetings and highlighted progress in advancing cooperation on digital transformation, innovation, sustainability, market access and capacity building.

Representatives from participating countries reiterated the importance of MSMEs in driving innovation, employment and inclusive growth while emphasizing the need for stronger collaboration to build resilient supply chains, promote digital transformation and facilitate knowledge-sharing among BRICS economies.

Saurabh Sanyal, Secretary General of ASSOCHAM, shared the key recommendations emerging from the Private Sector Stakeholder Meeting, stressing the need for policy collaboration, improved market access, digital adoption and stronger partnerships to support SMEs across BRICS countries.

Yogita Swaroop, Principal Economic Adviser, DPIIT, highlighted the growing role of MSMEs in creating resilient and future-ready economies and advocated greater cooperation among BRICS nations to unlock new opportunities through innovation, technology and trade integration.

Concluding the forum, Mercy Epao, Joint Secretary, Ministry of MSME, thanked participating ministers, delegates and partner organisations for their contributions. She described the inaugural BRICS MSME Forum as a significant milestone in strengthening BRICS MSME partnerships and translating policy dialogue into concrete action.

The discussions concluded with a strong reaffirmation by BRICS nations to deepen cooperation and build resilient, innovative and sustainable MSME ecosystems capable of driving inclusive economic growth and supporting future global development.