PIB TrackerIndia hosts the first BRICS MSME Forum in Agra
Under its BRICS Chairship, India hosted the First BRICS MSME Forum and the Third SME Working Group Meeting in Agra, pushing cooperation on affordable finance, technology, market access and skilling for small enterprises.
What happened
- The Ministry of MSME hosted the First BRICS MSME Forum and the Third SME Working Group Meeting on 19 June 2026 in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, under India's BRICS Chairship.
- The overarching theme was 'Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability'; the SME Working Group theme was 'Building MSME Ecosystem – Sustainable Roots to Global Routes'.
- Delegates came from BRICS members and partners — Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, South Africa, the UAE, Belarus, Cuba, Malaysia and Uganda.
- Union MSME Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi sought stronger cooperation in affordable finance, technology adoption, digital transformation, market access, skilling and sustainability, under Viksit Bharat 2047.
- The UP MSME Minister highlighted the state's One District One Product (ODOP) initiative; the Forum was supported by DPIIT and the MEA.
For Prelims
- MSMEs in India: Defined by the revised composite criteria of investment and annual turnover (Micro/Small/Medium); they contribute roughly 30% of GDP, ~45% of exports and large-scale employment.
- Udyam Registration: The online portal for MSME registration; MSMEs are supported by schemes like CGTMSE (credit guarantee), PMEGP, RAMP and the TReDS platform.
- BRICS SME Working Group: A track under BRICS economic cooperation; the First BRICS MSME Forum in Agra is a new India-led platform for small-enterprise collaboration.
- One District One Product (ODOP): A scheme (championed by UP and adopted nationally) to promote a distinctive product from each district for jobs and exports.
- Global value chains (GVCs): Cross-border production networks; integrating MSMEs into GVCs raises competitiveness and export potential.
- Viksit Bharat 2047: The vision of a developed India by the centenary of Independence, with MSMEs central to manufacturing and employment.
- Don't confuse: The BRICS MSME Forum is an economic-track initiative (small enterprises), distinct from the BRICS energy or leaders' tracks; ODOP is a product-promotion scheme, not an MSME definition.
For UPSC: India hosted the First BRICS MSME Forum and Third SME Working Group in Agra, pushing finance, technology and market access for small enterprises. Anchor India's MSME ecosystem (Udyam, CGTMSE, RAMP), the revised MSME definition, ODOP, global value chains, BRICS economic cooperation, and Viksit Bharat 2047.
What it is NOT: This is the economic/MSME track of BRICS, distinct from the energy-ministers' or leaders' summit tracks. ODOP is a product-promotion scheme (not the MSME classification, which is based on investment and turnover). The Forum builds MSME-to-MSME linkages — it is a cooperation platform, not a binding agreement.
For Mains
Syllabus: GS3.8 · GS2.18 · Linkage L2
Anchor
MSMEs as the backbone of growth and jobs — and economic diplomacy to plug them into global value chains.
Substantiation (data)
First BRICS MSME Forum + Third SME Working Group in Agra (under India's chairship); priorities of finance, technology, market access and skilling; UP's ODOP showcased.
Exemplification
Cite the BRICS MSME Forum (with ODOP, Udyam and credit schemes) as an example of leveraging multilateralism for small-enterprise competitiveness.
Problematisation
Credit access, technology adoption, formalisation, and integrating into GVCs amid global competition remain MSME challenges.
Way-forward
Deepen MSME finance and digital adoption, expand market access via BRICS linkages and ODOP, and build skills for global competitiveness.
Position
Government stance: empowered, globally connected MSMEs are central to resilient growth and Viksit Bharat 2047.
Deploys into: MSMEs & industrial growth (Udyam, CGTMSE, ODOP) · economic diplomacy & BRICS cooperation · global value chains & exports (GS3.8 industrial growth & MSMEs, GS2.18 groupings & agreements involving India).
Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises · 2026-06-21 · PRID 2276258 · PIB source ↗