Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are the backbone of India’s economy, driving employment, innovation, and GDP growth. These enterprises employ over 232 million people, making the sector the largest employer in the country and a key source of livelihoods for a substantial portion of the rural Indian population. MSMEs play a vital role in promoting rural economic development by offering employment opportunities and supporting local communities.
However, the rapidly advancing digital landscape creates significant challenges for many MSMEs, limiting their ability to compete, innovate, and thrive in today’s technology-driven world. The rise of E-commerce & Q-commerce is putting tremendous pressure on MSMEs due to inherent issues of non-competitive pricing, low productive business models and inefficient operations and digital revolution as a speed breaker. Many MSMEs feel overwhelmed and unprepared to compete in a rapidly changing digital landscape, leading to a sense of impending failure, vulnerability and financial anxiety. Despite the availability of free to use or pay as you use, user-friendly digital tools, a lack of information combined with technophobia limits adoption by MSMEs.
To address this need, the Digishaastra for MSMEs initiative by the India SME Forum and FIRST India is designed to amplify digital adoption, in association with the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and WhatsApp.
Founded in May 2011, India SME Forum is India’s largest non-profit organization dedicated to supporting small and medium enterprises (SMEs). It advocates for entrepreneur-friendly policies and recognizes innovative SMEs.
With 98,200+ MSME members, including 9,400+ women entrepreneurs, and a network of 1.2 million+ MSME subscribers across 19 State Chapters, the forum plays a pivotal role in strengthening the MSME ecosystem.
As a nominated member of the Advisory Committee under the MSMED Act, 2006, the forum collaborates with key government bodies, including the Ministries of MSME, Finance, Corporate Affairs, and Commerce & Industry. It also partners with international organizations such as UNIDO, ITC Geneva, and WTO’s SME group.
India SME Forum fosters enterprise growth through knowledge sharing, policy advocacy, and ecosystem development. It has organized 900+ seminars, workshops, and entrepreneur camps, benefiting over 18,000 SMEs in scaling their businesses. Additionally, it recognizes outstanding MSMEs for their role in employment generation, sustainability, and business expansion.
Through the Digishaastra initiative, the forum empowers MSMEs to embrace digital transformation by raising awareness, simplifying access to user-friendly digital tools, and building capacity in finance, operations, and governance—preparing them to compete effectively in a rapidly evolving market.
For more information, please visit www.indiasmeforum.org
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