MSMEs contribute about 31.1% to India’s GDP, account for 48.58% of total exports, and generate around 35.4% of manufacturing output. The sector encompasses more than 7.47 crore enterprises across manufacturing, services, and trade activities. It provides livelihoods to approximately 32.8 crore people, making it the second-largest source of employment after agriculture. The number of registered MSMEs stood at 7.85 crore units as on February 27, 2026. As on February 27, 2026, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu continue to dominate India’s micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) landscape, jointly accounting for nearly 32% of all MSME registrations nationwide. Maharashtra leads with over 1.01 crore registrations (~13%), followed by Uttar Pradesh with about 86.3 lakh (~11%) and Tamil Nadu with around 62.4 lakh (~8%). These three states remain key hubs for MSME activity, reflecting strong industrial ecosystems and sustained policy support for entrepreneurship and small business development. Majority (42.89%) of the registered MSMEs, as on February 27, 2026, were trading enterprises, while services and manufacturing accounted for 36.22% and 20.89%, respectively.
The Government e-Marketplace (GeM) continued to strengthen market access for MSMEs, achieving a cumulative Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) of Rs. 18.4 lakh crore (US$ 208.20 billion), including Rs. 5 lakh crore (US$ 56.58 billion) in FY26. During FY26, over 11 lakh MSEs registered on the platform fulfilled more than 51 lakh orders worth Rs. 2.36 lakh crore (US$ 26.70 billion), accounting for 68% of total orders and 47.1% of the platform's GMV.
The platform also supported over 2.1 lakh women-led MSEs, which secured orders worth more than Rs. 28,000 crore (US$ 3.17 billion) during FY26, while SC/ST MSEs received orders exceeding Rs. 6,000 crore (US$ 678.92 million).
On the financial front, MSMEs are increasingly adopting digital payments. In April 2026, India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) processed 22.35 billion transactions with a total value of Rs. 29.03 lakh crore, reflecting its deep integration into everyday commerce. A total of 713 banks were live on the UPI platform, underscoring its broad institutional adoption.
Government schemes have provided strong financial support. Direct Benefit Transfers (DBT) under MSME ministry schemes reached Rs. 6,83,917 crore (US$ 80.40 billion) in FY25. The Total Direct Benefit Transfer (Cumulative) under the Government of India's DBT ecosystem has crossed Rs. 51,64,612 crore (US$ 584.40 billion), according to the DBT Bharat portal. Under the MSME-SAMBANDH scheme, public procurement from SC/ST MSEs rose nearly 36 times in value, from Rs. 99 crore (US$ 11.4 million) in FY16 to Rs. 3,543.66 crore (US$ 414.70 million) in FY25.
Under the Entrepreneurship and Skill Development Programme (ESDP), the Ministry of MSME conducted 39,280 programmes, benefiting more than 18.25 lakh participants between FY2021-22 and FY2025-26 (as on March 23, 2026). During the same period, the Government incurred an expenditure of Rs. 266.67 crore (US$ 30.18 million) under the Programme.
The Government is strengthening MSME competitiveness through its network of Technology Centres, which provide advanced manufacturing support, skill development and technology services. As of November 2025, 18 Technology Centres were operational across the country. Under the Technology Centres and Extension Centres (TCEC) Scheme, 20 new Technology Centres and 100 Extension Centres are being established. As of November 2025, 25 Extension Centres had trained 53,963 youth and supported 1,357 MSMEs, while nine centres established under the World Bank-supported Technology Centre System Programme (TCSP) had trained 59,357 individuals and assisted 1,520 MSMEs.
India’s intellectual property ecosystem continued to witness strong momentum in FY25, with 33,504 patents, 30,350 designs, 3,82,834 trademarks, 62 geographical indications, and 26,767 copyrights granted or registered during the year. The sustained rise in registrations reflects growing innovation activity, stronger brand formalisation, and increasing emphasis on intellectual property protection across industries.
States and Union Territories continue to actively participate in strengthening the MSME ecosystem under the Raising and Accelerating MSME Performance (RAMP) scheme, a World Bank-supported Central Sector initiative focused on improving access to markets, finance and technology upgradation. As reported on the RAMP dashboard, all 36 States and Union Territories are participating in the programme, with 398 projects approved and an approved budget of Rs. 3,351.47 crore (US$ 379.22 million). The programme has incurred expenditure of Rs. 716.41 crore (US$ 81.06 million) and benefited over 21.36 lakh MSMEs.