role of micro, small and medium enterprises in creating jobs, sustaining livelihoods, and powering economic growth. But long before many of us learnt the term “MSME”, we already knew them. The neighbourhood kirana store that kept a monthly account without needing an app. The tailor who somehow managed one last alteration before a family function. The salon owner who added a quick head massage because “regular customer ho.” The chemist, the boutique owner, the repair shop, the small manufacturer, the local trader. We did not think of them as enterprises. We thought of them as people we knew. Yet the numbers tell us what familiarity can sometimes make us overlook: MSMEs account for 31.1% of India’s GDP, 35.4% of manufacturing, and 48.58% of exports. And that is exactly why MSMEs matter. They are India’s most familiar form of enterprise — local, resilient, relationship-led, and closely woven into everyday economic life. For these businesses, finance is not only about expansion. It is also part of business continuity — helping manage inventory, working capital, order fulfilment, seasonal demand, and everyday operating cycles. When credit is timely, appropriate, and aligned with how MSMEs actually function, it does more than fund growth. It helps enterprise stay steady, productive, and resilient. Because behind every small business is a daily act of enterprise.
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