Centre Launches MSME 2.0 Drive with AI, Finance and Market Focus

Emphasising the pivotal role of India's Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in achieving the country's long-term development goals, Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan on Saturday said a vibrant and dynamic MSME sector will be instrumental in powering the nation's journey towards Viksit Bharat @2047 .

Addressing the International MSME Day 2026 celebrations at the Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, the Vice-President described MSMEs as much more than an economic category, saying they embody the aspirations of youth, the determination of women entrepreneurs, and the resilience of millions of small businesses that have transformed challenges into opportunities.

Sharing his entrepreneurial journey, Radhakrishnan recalled starting a small garment business after graduation with support from his father. He said perseverance, continuous learning and hard work helped him build a successful knitwear export enterprise. Drawing from his experience as Chairman of the Coir Board, he stressed that deep industry knowledge, ambition and dedication are essential for business success.

Calling for greater growth within the sector, he said every micro enterprise should aspire to become a small enterprise, and every small enterprise should evolve into a medium enterprise. He also underlined the need for universal MSME registration , improved access to finance and stronger policy support.

A major highlight of the event was the launch of a suite of digital initiatives, including the PMEGP 2.0 Portal , Samadhaan 2.0 , MSME Global Mart 2.0 , Procurement and Marketing Support (PMS) 2.0 Portal , Testing Centre Portal , and a multilingual enablement initiative. The government also launched MSME Idea Hackathon 6.0 and released e-books on the Self-Reliant India Fund and PM Vishwakarma Scheme .

The new platforms are part of the Centre's broader effort to create a seamless digital ecosystem covering enterprise creation, financing, market access, procurement and grievance redressal. The Union Budget 2026-27 allocated ₹4,500 crore to the flagship Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) , which has helped establish over four lakh enterprises and generated millions of jobs.

The Vice-President also urged entrepreneurs to embrace Artificial Intelligence , citing this year's UN theme, "Human-Centered Entrepreneurship in an AI-Driven Future." He said technological change should be viewed as an opportunity, noting that AI, like computers before it, has the potential to create new avenues for growth and employment.

The MSME sector currently contributes nearly 30% of India's GDP , accounts for about 46% of exports , and supports employment for more than 30 crore people , making it one of the strongest pillars of the Indian economy. Observers say the latest reforms signal a shift from traditional support measures towards building a technology-driven, globally competitive MSME ecosystem capable of driving innovation, exports and job creation in the decades ahead.