Vinod Bhat
New Delhi: The SME Working Group under the BRICS Partnership on the New Industrial Revolution (PartNIR) is being led by the Ministry of MSME, Government of India. Under India’s BRICS Chairship 2026, the Ministry will convene three SME Working Group Meetings and the inaugural BRICS MSME Forum, focusing on three priority areas: access to finance, technology access, and sustainability-oriented growth for MSMEs.
Following the 1st SME Working Group Meeting held on 24 April 2026, the Ministry of MSME successfully convened the 2nd SME Working Group Meeting on 26 May 2026 under the BRICS PartNIR track on the theme “Enhancing Access to Technology for MSMEs”. 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”.
The Meeting saw active participation from BRICS Member Countries and provided a platform for sharing experiences and best practices, while underscoring the role of MSMEs in economic growth, employment generation, innovation, and inclusive development. Discussions highlighted the need for a multi-pronged approach to bridge the technology divide through greater digital inclusion, stronger innovation capabilities, and improved technology readiness of MSMEs to support their integration into regional and global value chains.
The Meeting also reiterated the importance of deeper collaboration among BRICS economies in technology access, innovation ecosystems, and skills development for MSMEs. The deliberations enabled valuable policy exchange among countries facing similar developmental challenges and reinforced the shared commitment to building resilient, inclusive, and globally competitive MSME sectors across BRICS economies.
The Meeting was highly successful and productive, facilitating meaningful exchanges, strengthening cooperation among BRICS Member Countries, and generating valuable insights to advance technology access and capacity-building for MSMEs across BRICS economies.
