QCI and NSIC sign 5-year MoU to boost MSME quality and market access
Synopsis
Two of India's key institutional pillars for small business — QCI and NSIC — have formally joined forces for five years, binding quality certification (ZED), digital market access (ONDC, MSME Global Mart), and accreditation infrastructure under one framework. For India's millions of MSMEs, this is a rare convergence of quality and commerce support in a single MoU.
Key Takeaways
QCI and NSIC signed a five-year MoU on 9 July 2025 in New Delhi to strengthen MSME quality and market access.
The partnership integrates the ZED Certification Scheme , MSME Global Mart , the TEAM Initiative , and the Single Point Registration Scheme .
ZED-certified MSMEs will gain access to ONDC onboarding, AI-enabled cataloguing , and export promotion platforms.
NABL accreditation for NSIC testing facilities and NABET-led capacity-building for training centres are key infrastructure components.
A Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) will meet every quarter to monitor implementation and identify new areas of collaboration.
The Quality Council of India (QCI) and the National Small Industries Corporation Limited (NSIC) on 9 July 2025 signed a five-year memorandum of understanding (MoU) in New Delhi, creating a collaborative framework to strengthen quality standards, competitiveness, and market access for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) across India. The partnership was announced through an official statement from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
What the Partnership Covers
The MoU combines QCI's expertise in accreditation and certification with NSIC's extensive MSME support network. The collaboration integrates four key initiatives: the MSME Sustainable (ZED) Certification Scheme, MSME Global Mart, the TEAM Initiative, and the Single Point Registration Scheme. Together, these are designed to give MSMEs access to a unified support framework rather than navigating each programme separately.
Digital Commerce and Export Opportunities
A notable component of the agreement is its digital commerce push. ZED-certified MSMEs will gain enhanced access to MSME Global Mart, onboarding on the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) under the TEAM Initiative, AI-enabled product cataloguing, and export promotion through dedicated digital platforms. This positions the MoU as not just a quality initiative but a market-linkage mechanism for smaller enterprises seeking to scale.
Infrastructure and Capacity Building
The partnership will support NABL accreditation for NSIC testing facilities and enable NABET-led assessment, accreditation, and customised capacity-building programmes for NSIC training centres and laboratories. It will also strengthen convergence between ZED Certification and NSIC's Single Point Registration Scheme, widening the net of MSMEs that can benefit from both quality and procurement support simultaneously.
Governance and Implementation
To oversee execution, QCI and NSIC will constitute a Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) with representatives from both organisations. The JCC will convene every quarter to monitor progress, identify new collaboration areas, and guide joint initiatives over the five-year term.
What Officials Said
Dr. Subhransu Sekhar Acharya, Chairman-cum-Managing Director of NSIC, said the partnership 'brings together quality, market access and institutional support to create greater opportunities for MSMEs to enhance their competitiveness, expand into new markets and achieve sustainable growth.' Dr. A. Raj, Senior Director and Head of the National Division for Industry Excellence (NDIE) and Chief Executive Officer of the National Board for Quality Promotion (NBQP) at QCI, said the MoU would 'enhance MSME competitiveness, strengthen quality consciousness and further advance QCI's National Quality Campaign.' The partnership is set to be a long-term institutional anchor for India's MSME quality ecosystem, with its first quarterly review expected within three months of signing.
Point of View
A metric neither organisation has publicly committed to tracking. India has over 63 million MSMEs, yet ZED certification uptake has remained modest relative to that base; without measurable onboarding targets, the JCC's quarterly reviews risk becoming box-ticking exercises. The inclusion of AI-enabled cataloguing is a forward-looking signal, but its utility depends entirely on whether smaller enterprises have the digital literacy and bandwidth to use it.
NationPress
9 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the QCI-NSIC MoU signed on 9 July 2025?
It is a five-year memorandum of understanding between the Quality Council of India and the National Small Industries Corporation Limited, signed on 9 July 2025, to create a unified support framework for MSMEs covering quality certification, digital market access, and accreditation infrastructure.
What is the ZED Certification Scheme and how does this MoU expand it?
The Zero Defect Zero Effect (ZED) Certification Scheme is a government initiative that rates MSMEs on quality and environmental practices. Under the new MoU, ZED-certified firms will gain priority access to MSME Global Mart, ONDC onboarding, AI-enabled cataloguing, and export promotion platforms, directly linking quality credentials to market opportunities.
How will the partnership be governed?
A Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) comprising representatives from both QCI and NSIC will oversee implementation. The JCC will meet every quarter to monitor progress, identify new collaboration areas, and guide joint initiatives over the five-year term.
Which MSMEs will benefit from this agreement?
MSMEs across India stand to benefit, particularly those seeking ZED certification, NSIC's Single Point Registration for government procurement, digital commerce access via ONDC and MSME Global Mart, and training or testing through NSIC's accredited facilities.
What role does ONDC play in this MoU?
The Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) is integrated through the TEAM Initiative under the MoU, enabling ZED-certified MSMEs to onboard the network for digital sales. This is part of a broader push to improve digital market access and export readiness for smaller enterprises.
