FTA with EU, other nations will help MSME sector’s access to developed mkts: Prasada

New Delhi: Recent Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with regions including the EU, the UK, Australia and New Zealand will help India’s MSME sector gain access to a large share of developed markets, creating a significant opportunity for domestic manufacturers to expand exports and integrate with global supply chains, said Jitin Prasada.

Speaking at the FICCI FLO National MSME Awards ceremony, Prasada, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry and Electronics and IT, said MSMEs—the backbone of the Indian economy—must focus on quality-led growth and move beyond scale-driven, low-cost manufacturing.

“With nearly 65 per cent of developed markets covered under FTAs, these countries demand high-quality products. Indian consumers, including those in rural areas with digital access, also increasingly prefer quality goods,” he said, adding that zero-duty access should not be seen as a route for sub-standard imports into India.

Prasada said FTAs are expected to boost MSME exports by providing fair and inclusive market access and helping small businesses integrate into global value chains.

With India’s population of more than 1.4 billion becoming increasingly aspirational, the country itself represents a vast and expanding mar-ket for quality products and services, he added, urging entrepreneurs to produce globally competitive goods that meet international standards.

He also highlighted the growing role of artificial intelligence (AI) across sectors such as healthcare, transportation, manufacturing and services.

MSMEs should adopt AI technologies to enhance productivity, improve efficiency and support better decision-making while reducing routine operational bur-dens, he said.

Subhransu Sekhar Acharya, Chairman & MD of the National Small Industries Corpora-tion (NSIC), emphasised the importance of strengthening women-led enterprises through targeted support, digital empowerment and skill development.

He noted that NSIC has been promoting the Trade Enablement & Marketing (TEAM) initiative, which aims to onboard five lakh MSMEs onto the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) platform, with a goal that 50 per cent of them are women-led enterprises.

FICCI Ladies Organisation (FLO) National President Poonam Sharma, said women entrepre-neurs are emerging as key drivers of inclusive economic growth.

She said FLO has been working to strengthen women’s economic participation through skill develop-ment, entrepreneurship support, policy advocacy and leadership mentoring.

The organisation has also launched the FLO MSME Assist Cell to provide women entrepreneurs with a comprehensive support ecosystem.

The cell connects women entrepreneurs with industry experts and mentors in areas such as funding, marketing, business expansion strategies, technology adoption and skill development, enabling them not only to start businesses but also to scale and sustain them successfully.

Eleven women MSME entrepreneurs were honoured at the event. Among those present were MP Anurag Sharma & Ruby Garg, who heads FLO’s MSME initiatives.