Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Nov 24: Aimed to empower 200,000 first-time exporters to enter international markets by fostering export readiness, India SME Forum (ISF), India’s largest non-Governmental, hosted a National Summit to launch IndiaXports 2.0.
The programme was launched by Narayan Rane, Union Minister of MSME.
Speaking on the occasion, Union, Minister said, “I extend my heartiest congratulations to India SME Forum for their commendable efforts in fostering the growth of MSMEs. The launch of IndiaXports 2.0 is a significant step towards empowering first-time exporters, aligning perfectly with the Government’s vision for industrial expansion and promoting global trade. E-commerce exports play a pivotal role in enhancing customer base and increasing the scale of small businesses in India, and initiatives like these are crucial in enhancing their capabilities and contribution to India’s economic development.”
The pilot project for the initiative was also supported by the minister in 2021 which witnessed participation from over 8 lakh entrepreneurs, 20,000 subscribers, 42,000+ help desk queries, and mentoring for 1190 MSMEs to overcome export challenges.
Ateesh Kumar Singh, Joint Secretary, Ministry of MSME said, “The Udyam portal has witnessed an impressive MSME registration of approximately 2-2.5 crore, increasing daily by thousands. However, when we look at the number of MSMEs actively engaged in exports, it stands at around 1.93 lakh, revealing the unrealised potential in MSME exports. Recognizing a knowledge gap in conducting business via e-commerce platforms, the government has initiated outreach and awareness programs to address this challenge, paving the way for greater MSME involvement in global trade.”
The event witnessed participation from esteemed guests such as Alok Chaturvedi, Former IAS, Former Director General of Foreign Trade, Mohammad Moin Afaque, Deputy Director General of Foreign Trade, Dr. Radhicka Kapoor, Professor, ICRIER, Bipin Sapra, Partner, E&Y, Nikita Singla, Consultant & Trade Facilitation, World Bank, Ashish Chandra, Co-Founder, GlobalFair, Rahul Ahluwalia, Founding Director, Foundation for Economic Development, Deepali Agrawal, Chief General Manager, Exim Bank, Ajay Srivastava, Former Addl. DGFT, Dinkar Singh, Director, Public Affairs- Indian Subcontinent, UPS, and Dr. Amit Kapoor, Chairman, Institute for Competitiveness.