Chennai, August 20: The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), through its MSME Development & Facilitation Office (DFO), Chennai, organised a national seminar at IIT Madras to help Indian MSMEs strengthen their export readiness and expand their presence in domestic and international markets through digital commerce.
The seminar, titled “From Local to Global: Enabling Export-Ready MSMEs through Digital Commerce,” was held on August 18 in collaboration with the Entrepreneurship Cell of IIT Madras. It brought together MSMEs, entrepreneurs, students, policymakers, financial institutions, export ecosystem stakeholders and digital commerce experts to discuss practical ways of accessing wider markets through technology and digital platforms.
Addressing the inaugural session, Praveen Yadav, Additional Chief Secretary, MSME Department, Government of Tamil Nadu, said digital commerce is transforming the way MSMEs access global markets by removing geographical barriers. He stressed the need for stronger Centre-State coordination to build an enabling ecosystem that can improve the global competitiveness of small businesses.
Prof. Manu Santhanam, Dean, IC&SR, IIT Madras, highlighted the importance of innovation and academia-industry collaboration in helping MSMEs develop new products and technologies. He said stronger links between industry and academic institutions can support businesses in improving productivity, innovation and competitiveness.
Hansraj Verma, Director General, Council of State Industrial Development & Investment Corporation of India, emphasised that quality remains a key factor in strengthening the competitiveness of Indian enterprises in both domestic and international markets. He also underlined the growing importance of digitisation in helping MSMEs expand their customer reach.
The keynote address was delivered by Dhayalan, Director and Head, MSME DFO Chennai, who also felicitated the distinguished guests. Reshma Rajeevan, Deputy Director, MSME DFO Chennai, delivered the welcome address and highlighted the need for stronger support mechanisms to help MSMEs transition from domestic markets to international business opportunities.
The technical sessions covered several aspects of export readiness, including export procedures, trade finance, risk mitigation, market identification, international payments, regulatory compliance, digital onboarding and the use of e-commerce platforms for global market access. Experts and officials from the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), EXIM Bank, ECGC, IIT Madras and export and e-commerce consulting sectors shared practical insights with participants.
The seminar was organised under the Procurement & Marketing Support (PMS) Scheme of the Ministry of MSME. National workshops and seminars form part of the scheme’s capacity-building initiatives aimed at improving awareness among MSMEs about market access, packaging, import-export procedures, e-commerce platforms and other developments that can help businesses expand their markets.
The programme also offered students and aspiring entrepreneurs an opportunity to understand emerging prospects in digital commerce, entrepreneurship and international trade.
The initiative underlines the Ministry of MSME’s continued focus on improving market access, digital adoption and export preparedness among Indian enterprises. By connecting MSMEs with experts, institutions and the wider export ecosystem, the seminar sought to support the broader objective of taking Indian businesses “From Local to Global.”