The Government e-Marketplace (GeM), India's flagship public procurement platform, enters its 11th year on 9 August 2025 having connected more than 1.37 lakh government buyer organisations with nearly 25 lakh sellers and service providers, with cumulative procurement crossing ₹20 lakh crore. Launched on 9 August 2016, GeM has grown from a niche digital storefront into the backbone of India's public procurement infrastructure.

Scale and Scope of the Platform

GeM now hosts more than 10,660 product categories and 350 service categories, spanning medical equipment, furniture, computers, fire safety equipment, and handicrafts, alongside services such as transport, catering, vehicle hiring, and human resource management. Multiple procurement modes, integrated payment systems, and online contract generation underpin what officials describe as an end-to-end digital procurement pipeline.

According to an official factsheet released to mark the anniversary, the platform's next phase will lean heavily on artificial intelligence to sharpen transparency and operational efficiency. 'Artificial intelligence and wider participation will further strengthen transparency, efficiency and governance,' the factsheet stated, adding that GeM 'continues supporting India's journey towards a digitally empowered and self-reliant economy.'

Inclusion at the Core: MSEs, Women, SC/ST, and Startups

One of GeM's most significant — and underreported — achievements is its role in democratising government procurement for historically marginalised supplier groups. Over 11 lakh registered Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) executed more than 51 lakh orders worth over ₹2.36 lakh crore, according to the factsheet.

More than 2.1 lakh women-led MSEs secured procurement worth over ₹28,000 crore. Among SC/ST enterprises, procurement exceeded ₹6,000 crore, registering nearly 28 per cent annual growth. Startups fared even better, with procurement crossing ₹19,000 crore and recording over 36 per cent annual growth — the highest growth rate across all seller categories.

Dedicated initiatives driving this inclusion include SWAYATT, Startup Runway 2.0, Womaniya, and the SARAS Collection, each targeting a specific underserved community — from artisans and Self Help Groups (SHGs) to women entrepreneurs and first-generation founders.

New Partnerships and Outreach Infrastructure

In June 2026, GeM partnered with Common Service Centre e-Governance Services India Limited (CSC-SPV) to establish 50 GeM Suvidha Kendras on a pilot basis across select states and Union Territories. The Kendras are designed to bring hands-on procurement assistance to sellers who may lack the digital literacy or infrastructure to navigate the platform independently — a direct response to criticism that GeM's benefits have been unevenly distributed geographically.

This comes amid a broader government push to align public procurement with the 'Vocal for Local' and 'Make in India' mandates, using GeM as a demand-side lever to channel government spending toward domestic producers.

What the Next Year Looks Like

With AI integration on the roadmap and the CSC-SPV Suvidha Kendra pilot underway, GeM's 11th year is positioned as a transition from scale to sophistication. The platform's ability to sustain inclusion gains while absorbing AI-driven process changes will be the defining challenge — and opportunity — of its next chapter.