Chennai: The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) organised a national seminar at IIT Madras to help Indian MSMEs expand beyond domestic markets and tap global opportunities through digital commerce.
The seminar, titled “From Local to Global: Enabling Export-Ready MSMEs through Digital Commerce,” was organised by the MSME Development & Facilitation Office (MSME DFO), Chennai, in collaboration with the Entrepreneurship Cell of IIT Madras on August 18.
The programme brought together MSMEs, entrepreneurs, students, policymakers, financial institutions, export ecosystem stakeholders and digital commerce experts.
Digital Commerce Emerging as a Gateway to Global Markets
Addressing the inaugural session, Praveen Yadav, Additional Chief Secretary, MSME Department, Government of Tamil Nadu, highlighted the role of digital commerce in helping MSMEs overcome geographical barriers and access international markets.
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He called for stronger coordination between the Centre and states to create an ecosystem that enables MSMEs to become more competitive globally.
The seminar focused on how technology, innovation and digital platforms can help smaller businesses identify new markets and connect with customers beyond traditional geographical boundaries.
IIT Madras Highlights Innovation and Industry Collaboration
Prof. Manu Santhanam, Dean, IC&SR, IIT Madras, stressed the importance of innovation and stronger academia-industry collaboration.
He highlighted the role of research and technological development in helping MSMEs create new products, adopt innovation and improve their competitiveness.
Hansraj Verma, Director General, Council of State Industrial Development & Investment Corporation of India, also emphasised the importance of quality and digitisation in strengthening the ability of MSMEs to compete in both domestic and international markets.
What MSMEs Learnt at the National Seminar
The technical sessions brought together experts and officials from institutions including DGFT, EXIM Bank, ECGC and IIT Madras, along with professionals from export and e-commerce consulting domains.
The sessions provided practical guidance on:
- Export procedures and documentation
- Trade finance and international payments
- Export risk mitigation
- Identifying overseas markets
- Digital onboarding
- Compliance requirements
- E-commerce-led global market access
- Using digital platforms to expand customer reach
Government Scheme Supports MSME Market Access
The seminar was organised under the Procurement & Marketing Support (PMS) Scheme of the Ministry of MSME.
National workshops and seminars form part of the scheme’s capacity-building interventions, aimed at improving MSMEs’ awareness of market-access opportunities and helping them navigate areas such as packaging, import-export procedures and e-commerce platforms.
The Chennai seminar provided participating enterprises with direct access to experts and practical knowledge on digital commerce and export preparedness.
Students and Entrepreneurs Also Join the Discussion
The programme also provided an opportunity for students and aspiring entrepreneurs to understand emerging opportunities in digital commerce, entrepreneurship and international trade.
The participation of academic institutions alongside government agencies, financial institutions and businesses was aimed at creating stronger linkages between knowledge, innovation and market opportunities.
Centre Pushes MSMEs Towards Global Competitiveness
The initiative reflects the Ministry of MSME’s broader focus on strengthening market access, digital adoption, export preparedness and handholding support for small businesses.
By helping MSMEs understand digital commerce and international trade requirements, the government aims to enable more Indian enterprises to move from domestic markets to global customers — advancing the broader goal of taking Indian businesses “From Local to Global.”
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