Small and Medium Enterprises play an important role as a growth engine of Indian economy. SMEs produce 40% of the total industrial output, contribute 40% of total exports and provide 70% of the employment opportunities. SMEs are the driving force behind a large number of innovations and contribute to the National growth through employment generation, investments and exports.

Indian SMEs are making tremendous progress in Industry, Service, Retail, IT, Agro and Food Processing, Pharmaceuticals, Precision Engineering and Manufacturing Sectors.

The flow of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in these Sectors has also increased in the last decade. As a result, SMEs are getting more and more opportunities to enhance their activities and expand & diversify their business in core sectors.

The advent of liberalisation in 1991 set in the process globalisation. Liberalisation not only brought in many advantages to the SMEs by opening up the world markets but also posed many challenges with the flooding of high quality – low cost products from many countries to India. Indian manufacturers especially from SME Sector had to struggle a lot to cope with these challenges. The only way to sustain is to produce better quality products and services at competitive rates which again requires improved technology, increased productivity and managerial expertise. With the predominantly rural background of the Indian entrepreneurs it is imperative that the Indian Small and Medium entrepreneurs should update their knowledge and skill sets to be globally competitive.

Normally an entrepreneur starts his small venture with his own capital or the finance taken from Friends / Banks / Financial Institutions. Many entrepreneurs lack exposure to latest technology and do not possess required skills in marketing & management strategy, knowledge of domestic & international market conditions, special schemes introduced by government & other agencies etc. Though the SMEs are being encouraged to start new ventures, many entrepreneurs require additional support and guidance in all walks of business to achieve success in their endeavors.

SME Training Institute of India is a private organisation and does not have any affiliations or associations with any Government or Semi Government agencies. This is a division of India International Trade Centre (IITC-India).