Under its BRICS Chairship 2026, India convened the second SME Working Group Meeting. The focus was on improving technology access, innovation, and workforce readiness for MSMEs across BRICS nations to boost their economic role and integration.
India, under its BRICS Chairship 2026, convened the second SME Working Group Meeting under the BRICS Partnership on the New Industrial Revolution (PartNIR) on May 26, focusing on improving technology access for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) across BRICS countries.
Focus on Innovation and Technology
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.
Key Discussion Areas
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".
Deepening BRICS Cooperation
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's Leadership and Future Plans
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.
Meeting Outcomes
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.
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