BRICS nations discuss technology access, innovation support for MSMEs under India's chairship
New Delhi, May 29
India, under its BRICS Chairship 2026, convened the second SME Working Group Meeting under the BRICS Partnership on the New Industrial Revolution on May 26, focusing on improving technology access for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises across BRICS countries.
The meeting, organised by the Ministry of MSME, centred on the theme "Enhancing Access to Technology for MSMEs" and discussed ways to strengthen innovation, technology commercialisation and workforce readiness for small businesses.
The discussions come as BRICS nations seek to improve the role of MSMEs in economic growth, employment generation and innovation, while also helping smaller businesses integrate into regional and global value chains. The deliberations highlighted the need to bridge the technology gap faced by MSMEs through greater digital inclusion, stronger innovation ecosystems and improved technology readiness.
According to the Ministry, discussions among BRICS member countries focused on "Harnessing Innovations and Technology Commercialization for MSMEs" and "Skilling and Development of Industry-Ready Manpower for MSME Tech Adoption".
The meeting witnessed active participation from BRICS countries and served as a platform for sharing experiences and best practices related to MSME development and technology adoption.
The Ministry said the discussions "underscored the role of MSMEs in economic growth, employment generation, innovation, and inclusive development."
The meeting also stressed the importance of cooperation among BRICS economies in areas such as technology access, innovation ecosystems and skill development. The Ministry noted that the discussions "reiterated the importance of deeper collaboration among BRICS economies in technology access, innovation ecosystems, and skills development for MSMEs."
India is leading the SME Working Group under the BRICS PartNIR framework and plans to hold three SME Working Group meetings along with the inaugural BRICS MSME Forum during its chairship year. The focus areas include access to finance, technology access and sustainability-oriented growth for MSMEs.
The Ministry said the meeting enabled "valuable policy exchange among countries facing similar developmental challenges" and reinforced the commitment of BRICS nations towards building "resilient, inclusive, and globally competitive MSME sectors across BRICS economies."
The Ministry further described the meeting as "highly successful and productive", adding that it facilitated meaningful exchanges and generated insights to advance technology access and capacity-building for MSMEs across BRICS countries.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Good initiative, but I hope the tech access isn't just limited to metro cities. Tier-2 and tier-3 cities have lakhs of small businesses that need digital upskilling the most. The skilling and manpower development part is key - we need proper training infrastructure, not just online courses nobody completes.
As someone running a small manufacturing unit in Pune, I can tell you technology adoption is critical but expensive. BRICS countries like China and Russia have advanced automation - if India can negotiate affordable tech transfer and licensing deals for MSMEs, that would be a game-changer. The Modi government's push on this is commendable.
It's great that BRICS is focusing on MSMEs rather than just big corporations. Small businesses create the most jobs worldwide. I work with a UK-based startup that helps Indian MSMEs digitize, and the potential is enormous. Hope this working group creates practical frameworks for tech sharing between countries.
While I appreciate the intent, I'm skeptical about how much of this will benefit the actual kirana store owner or the small workshop in a village. BRICS talks can get very top-down. The real test will be how the recommendations percolate down to block level. Also, why no mention of access to affordable credit for tech adoption? 🤔
Fantastic! India leading this under our BRICS chairship shows our growing influence. The focus on "industry-ready manpower" is so important - our engineering graduates need practical skills that MSMEs actually require. Hope this partnership also addresses cybersecurity concerns for small businesses going digital.
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