India joins UNIDO-backed BRICS centre to boost MSME productivity

The BCIC, established in partnership with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), functions as a one-stop platform offering integrated support services to manufacturing firms and MSMEs across BRICS nations. Its core focus is on enhancing industrial competencies, productivity and the adoption of advanced manufacturing technologies aligned with Industry 4.0.

As part of India’s formal induction into the BCIC framework, a Trust Fund Agreement was signed between DPIIT and UNIDO. The agreement was executed by Agrim Kaushal, economic adviser, DPIIT, and Dr Cristiano Pasini, director at UNIDO, marking the operationalisation of India’s participation.

The National Productivity Council (NPC) has been designated as the India Centre for BRICS Industrial Competencies. Under DPIIT’s policy guidance and with technical support from UNIDO, NPC will lead India’s engagement with BCIC, focusing on capacity building, productivity enhancement and the adoption of advanced manufacturing practices across the MSME sector.

The development was announced at an event organised by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, at Vanijya Bhavan in New Delhi.

India’s participation in BCIC is expected to provide significant impetus to the MSME sector, which contributes nearly 30 per cent to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employs over 110 million people across manufacturing and services. Despite its economic importance, the sector continues to face challenges related to technology adoption, productivity gaps and access to global best practices.

Through BCIC, Indian MSMEs will gain exposure to cross-country knowledge exchange, advanced manufacturing models and collaborative opportunities within BRICS industrial networks.

With BRICS economies accounting for more than 35 per cent of global GDP in purchasing power parity terms and representing more than 40 per cent of the global population, according to UNIDO, enhanced manufacturing co-operation is viewed as a key lever for strengthening supply chains and improving industrial resilience among member nations.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (CG)