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Bombay Chamber recently organised a MSME Conclave that explored innovative financing, trade finance, factoring, and working capital solutions designed to fuel MSME growth in the smart finance era.

In his welcome address, Rajiv Anand, President, Bombay Chamber & MD & CEO, IndusInd Bank said, “This conclave brings together enterprise leaders, policymakers, financial institutions, and global trade stakeholders to deliberate on the key enablers of MSME advancement. I am confident this conclave will empower MSMEs with the knowledge, resources, and support needed to address challenges in growth, talent management, financing, and internationalisation, enabling them to drive sustainable development and contribute meaningfully to the nation’s economy.”

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Setting the theme for the conclave, R Srinivasan, Co-Chairperson – MSME Forum, Bombay Chamber & Director, AIRA Consulting, said that at a time when global supply chains are being realigned and digital transformation is reshaping business models, Indian MSMEs are at a critical inflection point. “With access to smart, scalable, and innovative financing solutions, MSMEs have a unique opportunity to enhance competitiveness and integrate more deeply into global value chains,” he added.

In his keynote address, Rajesh Kumar, Deputy Managing Director (Retail – Agri & SME), State Bank of India, stated, “Inclusion of all MSMEs must be intentional. There should be awareness drives for digital offerings from the government, data privacy and ethical use of technology. Technology should not replace human capital; it should co-operate with the existing working
structure.”

This was followed by a Fireside Chat on The Implications of the New Labour Codes on MSMEs covering practical insights into their implications for MSMEs, including compliance, workforce management, and operational efficiency. R. Srinivasan moderated the session with Lancy D’Souza, Advocate & Legal Advisor, Bombay Chamber as the speaker.

The next session was on Country Spotlight: Trade Corridors for Indian MSMEs, where Honourable Consul Generals and Trade Commissioners of Argentina, Finland, Flanders and Alberta Canada shared first-hand perspectives on global business and trade opportunities including sourcing, technology partnerships, market access and export facilitation. H.E. Erik af Hällström, Consul General, Consulate General of Finland, Mumbai; Keith Bradley, Chief Operating Officer Invest Alberta and the Government of Alberta, Canada; Eva Verstraelen, Trade & Investment Commissioner for Flanders (FIT) in Mumbai and Maria Silvina Costa, Head of Economic and Trade Section, Consulate General & Trade Centre of the Argentine Republic in Mumbai made the presentations.

A panel discussion on “Powering India’s Growth Cycle through MSME IPOs,” aimed to familiarise enterprises with the IPO process and highlight how public markets can support long-term expansion. The panelists were Riddhesh Shah, Deputy Vice President, BSE SME & Startups, BSE; Kamal Dharewa, Founder, Ashwath Capital | Capital Markets & SME IPO Expert; Subham Chatterjee, Associate Partner, ALMT Legal and Ajaya Sharma, Senior Vice President- Capital Market Communication Group, Adfactors PR. The panel was moderated by Ajay Thakur, CEO & Managing Partner, TGI SME Capital Advisors LLP.