MSMEs seek rapid launch of export intelligence platform

Besides $30 billion worth of MSME exports, 70,000-80,000 jobs are at risk from US tariffs

- Manas Pimpalkhare & Rituraj Baruah

India's micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) have urged the government to operationalise without delay the long-pending global market intelligence service (GMIS)—a portal meant to help them identify and tap export opportunities worldwide.

GMIS, planned under the Union MSME ministry's international co-operation scheme, was envisioned as a one-stop platform for the country's 66 million MSMEs. However, the system remains non-functional despite being proposed by the ministry's task force in 2021-22.

Industry lobby group India SME Forum, representing about 100,000 businesses in the country, has written to cabinet secretary T.V. Somanathan and the MSME ministry seeking immediate implementation of the GMIS portal and expedited creation of trade desks in foreign jurisdictions to facilitate MSME export opportunities.