SME Regional Summit Kolkata

Industry leaders share views on Trump tariffs, MSME challenges, and future plans.

Make in India SME Regional Summit continues to be held in various cities across the country. It brings together key figures from policymakers and supporting institutions and industries in India's small, cottage, and medium enterprises to discuss and exchange knowledge on the future and challenges of MSMEs.

The  Make in India SME Regional Summit 2025-26 reached Kolkata for its fifth leg. Held on September 4, 2025, the event brought together industry representatives, small business leaders and owners, and representatives from small and medium enterprise (SME) organizations. During this time, everyone exchanged their ideas and knowledge and talked about exploring new opportunities for development and innovation.

The Make in India SME Regional Summit 2025 is being held under the theme "Empowering MSME: Driving India's Century of Sustainable Growth." Its objective is to expand and strengthen India's MSME sector, discuss the current situation, appreciate the challenges, and find solutions. The event featured panel discussions and masterclasses, while also hosting various sessions and discussions to uncover solutions for MSME-related issues.

Kolkata was an ideal location for this year's SME Regional Summit. Its industrial potential in sectors such as handloom and textiles is remarkable. Rapidly developing infrastructure and excellent port connectivity are also key strengths of the region's industries. The summit, held in Kolkata, received an overwhelming response, with a large number of attendees.

The Kolkata Summit began with a speech by Partha Chaudhuri, Joint Director, Directorate of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME-BG), Government of West Bengal, on the topic, "From Handlooms to High-Tech: How Policy is Shaping the Potential of Bengal."

Partha Chaudhuri stated that handlooms are the backbone of West Bengal's culture and economy. Despite this, the sector continues to face numerous challenges, including supply chain disruptions and a lack of skilled labor. He continued, "Most weavers lack direct access to the market, leading to the dominance of middlemen. Youth from the state are also migrating in large numbers in search of better-paying jobs. This is a major reason for the growing shortage of skilled weavers in Bengal."

After discussing the issues facing weavers, Partha Chaudhuri explained how the state is actively involved in high-tech sectors and is creating a conducive environment for them. "West Bengal is developing a new economic engine through high-tech sectors, while preserving and protecting its heritage. Policy initiatives in the IT sector have played a key role in this. The state government is very committed to this growing sector." Chaudhary expressed confidence that "the state's high intellectual potential and the presence of top institutions like IIT Kharagpur and other organizations will contribute to West Bengal becoming a leader in the digital economy."

Following Chaudhary, Anupam Gayen, Zonal Head of NSIC Kolkata, took the stage for a special address. He spoke candidly about the various challenges facing MSMEs, ranging from global uncertainty to the lack of digital adoption. Gayen explained that Bengal has approximately 9 million MSMEs, encompassing 540 product clusters, mostly in the textile, leather, tea, and foundry sectors.

Continuing his talk, Anupam Gayen said, "MSMEs are currently facing their toughest challenges yet. Global uncertainty, such as Trump's decision to impose 50% tariffs, appears to be affecting this sector the most. Global instability is a situation that will always persist, but to combat it, we must be strong and flexible in our thinking. We must rapidly prepare ourselves to face global challenges and technological disruptions. It is observed that MSMEs are currently lagging behind in areas such as the rapid adoption of AI, Industry 4.0, and the use of digital commerce." We also need to start focusing more on climate and green technology for exports. In European countries, you have to meet green certifications, carbon emissions, etc., which remains another major challenge for our industries.

This was followed by a fireside chat with IDBI Bank Executive Director Nagaraj Garla. The topic was "Catalyzing Make in India Growth: IDBI Bank's Strategic Imperatives for Empowering MSMEs."

Garla began the conversation with the US-imposed tariffs and the challenges they pose. He stated that the impact will be clearly visible on the MSME sector. "Those who have already taken strategic steps will experience less impact," Garla said. "But those who haven't yet acted will face difficulties." He added that the impact will last for 12 to 18 months, and only after that will the situation begin to stabilize."

According to Garla, these difficult times also bring opportunities, as the government is now emphasizing the diversification of export markets. Banks are also taking several steps to expand markets, making MSMEs more competitive. He said, "One way to address these tariffs is to reduce costs. To do this, we need to take cost-cutting measures such as digitalization and shifting from traditional power generation sources to solar capacities. Many MSMEs have invested in solar energy, reducing their electricity bills to almost zero."

Subrendu Mitra, Senior Sales Manager (BIS Channel), Canon India, then took the stage and delivered a presentation on "Making Business Simple with Canon." He shared detailed information about new-generation printing technologies that feature advanced security layers. Mitra explained how these innovations can help entrepreneurs create their own unique identity and gain a competitive edge.

Following this presentation, Diptimoy Nayak, Corporate Head, Audi India, highlighted the deep connection between brands and small businesses in India.Audi.

Following Audi's presentation, Keshav Bhajanka, Executive Director, Century Plyboards India, took the stage and shared his business growth story. He explained how his factory, with over 3,000 employees, has been operating successfully in Bengal since 1986. Bhajanka attributed the company's long-term success to its ability to adapt to changing circumstances, integrity, and ability to retain existing talent.

"I think what sets us apart from many companies, not just in our industry, is that we're not afraid of change. Every time a crisis has struck, we've emerged stronger. Every crisis is an opportunity; this isn't just a saying for us, but something we believe wholeheartedly."
He explained that the company has always introduced new innovations to the market in line with trends. "In 1997, we introduced termite-proof plywood for the first time in India. After that, we continued to add new technologies, such as glue line protection. During COVID-19, we used a technology called Viro-Kill in all our plywood, which kills any virus that touches the cell walls." After that, we introduced fire-safe firewall technology. I believe that whether the product is interesting or ordinary, if you constantly innovate, any product can be made attractive.

This was followed by an interesting panel discussion on 'Kolkata 2030: A Vision for MSME-Driven Economic Transformation.' Exporters and industry leaders came together to share ideas and challenges, sharing their perspectives.