BRICS MSME meet calls for multi-pronged push to bridge technology divide
Synopsis
At the second BRICS SME Working Group Meeting in New Delhi, member nations agreed that closing the technology divide — through digital inclusion, innovation capacity, and skills development — is the critical lever for plugging MSMEs into global value chains. With India holding the BRICS chair in 2026 and the inaugural BRICS MSME Forum still ahead, the real test is whether these exchanges produce binding commitments or remain on paper.
Key Takeaways
The second BRICS SME Working Group Meeting was held in New Delhi on 29 May 2026 under the BRICS PartNIR framework.
Member nations called for digital inclusion , stronger innovation capabilities , and improved technology readiness to help MSMEs enter global value chains.
Under India's BRICS Chairship 2026 , the Ministry of MSME will convene three SME Working Group Meetings and an inaugural BRICS MSME Forum .
Three priority areas identified: access to finance , technology access , and sustainability-oriented growth .
The meeting's theme was 'Harnessing Innovations and Technology Commercialization for MSMEs' .
India's Ministry of MSME on Friday, 29 May convened the second SME Working Group Meeting under the BRICS Partnership on the New Industrial Revolution (PartNIR) in New Delhi, with member nations collectively calling for a multi-pronged strategy to integrate micro, small, and medium enterprises into regional and global value chains. An official statement said the meeting underscored the urgency of closing the technology gap facing MSMEs across BRICS economies.
Key Developments
The meeting drew active participation from all BRICS member countries and served as a platform for sharing policy experiences and best practices. Discussions centred on the theme 'Harnessing Innovations and Technology Commercialization for MSMEs', with delegates stressing the need for greater digital inclusion, stronger innovation capabilities, and improved technology readiness to help MSMEs compete on the global stage.
The deliberations also reinforced the importance of deeper collaboration among BRICS economies in technology access, innovation ecosystems, and skills development — areas identified as critical bottlenecks for MSME growth across developing nations.
India's Role Under BRICS Chairship 2026
Under India's BRICS Chairship 2026, the Ministry of MSME is leading the SME Working Group and has committed to convening three SME Working Group Meetings along with an inaugural BRICS MSME Forum. The ministry has identified three priority areas for the year: access to finance, technology access, and sustainability-oriented growth for MSMEs.
This is the second of three planned meetings, meaning the process is at its midpoint with the flagship MSME Forum still ahead — a signal that concrete policy outcomes are expected to crystallise later in the year.
Why MSMEs Matter to BRICS Economies
MSMEs are widely recognised as the backbone of emerging-market economies, driving employment generation, innovation, and inclusive development. Yet their integration into global value chains has historically lagged that of large enterprises, partly due to limited access to digital tools, capital, and skilled labour.
The BRICS PartNIR framework attempts to address these structural gaps through coordinated policy exchange among countries facing similar developmental challenges. According to the ministry, the meeting generated 'valuable insights' to advance technology access and capacity-building across member nations.
What Comes Next
A third SME Working Group Meeting and the inaugural BRICS MSME Forum are expected later in 2026, where the insights from Friday's session are likely to feed into actionable recommendations. Industry observers will watch whether the forum produces binding commitments on technology transfer or remains a consultative exercise.
Point of View
But its track record on translating policy exchange into on-the-ground MSME outcomes remains thin. India's decision to prioritise technology access and sustainability under its 2026 chairship is directionally sound, yet the three priority areas — finance, technology, sustainability — are the same ones that have appeared in multilateral MSME declarations for over a decade without measurable convergence. The real value of the upcoming BRICS MSME Forum will lie in whether it produces verifiable commitments — technology transfer agreements, co-investment vehicles, or shared digital infrastructure — rather than another communiqué. For Indian MSMEs specifically, the gap between aspiration and global value chain integration remains wide, and multilateral forums alone will not close it.
NationPress
14 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was decided at the BRICS SME Working Group Meeting on 29 May?
The meeting called for a multi-pronged approach to bridge the technology divide for MSMEs, focusing on digital inclusion, stronger innovation capabilities, and improved technology readiness to support integration into regional and global value chains. It also stressed deeper collaboration among BRICS economies on technology access and skills development.
What is the BRICS PartNIR framework?
The BRICS Partnership on the New Industrial Revolution (PartNIR) is a multilateral framework through which BRICS member countries coordinate on industrial policy, technology access, and MSME development. India's Ministry of MSME leads the SME Working Group under this framework.
What are India's MSME priorities under its BRICS Chairship 2026?
India has identified three priority areas for its BRICS Chairship 2026: access to finance, technology access, and sustainability-oriented growth for MSMEs. The Ministry of MSME will convene three SME Working Group Meetings and host the inaugural BRICS MSME Forum during the year.
Who participated in the second SME Working Group Meeting?
All BRICS member countries participated in the meeting, which was convened by India's Ministry of MSME in New Delhi. The session enabled policy exchange among nations facing similar developmental challenges in the MSME sector.
What comes after the second SME Working Group Meeting?
A third SME Working Group Meeting and the inaugural BRICS MSME Forum are scheduled later in 2026. These are expected to translate the insights from Friday's session into concrete policy recommendations on technology access and capacity-building for MSMEs.
