FISME offers help to 28 countries including Korea, Japan

New Delhi. Working for promoting entrepreneurship and Improving market access for Indian Micro & Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME’s), the Federation of Indian Micro and Small & Medium Enterprises (FISME) has, for the first time, reached out to 28 countries to help in identifying and addressing operational as well as policy obstacles their SMEs are facing in India.

Already a part of official Trade Facilitation set up in India (under TFA) and a Member of Board of Trade (Ministry of Commerce & Industry), the FISME wrote to the New Delhi-based embassies and high commissions of Asian, European, Middle Eastern, and other continent countries in May this year.

Countries like Korea, USA and Iran have responded to the FISME call, while the commercial attaches and ministers of other embassies are in touch, Animesh Saxena, President, FISME told Asian Community News (ACN) Network.

The Korean ambassador in India Shin Bong-kil was  quick to respond to the FISME call as he recently invited its team led by president Animesh Saxena to the embassy following which the Korean counterpart KOSMA (Korean Small & Medium Enterprises Association in India) and FISME may soon sign an MoU to facilitate Koreans SMEs in India and offer them handholding and matchmaking opportunities.

“FISME has taken a call to work with foreign companies/MNCs and identify operational and policy obstacles especially those fall under Trade Facilitation. Being part of official Trade Facilitation set up in India (under TFA) and a Member of Board of Trade (Ministry of Commerce & Industry), we can leverage our presence and help foreign companies in ironing out their difficulties,” the FISME president Animesh Saxena wrote to the embassies and high commissions.

FISME – India’s largest network with over 750 SME associations as its members, explained about its role, providing them the support system in the SME sector.

“India is one of the fastest growing large economies, and a lot of foreign companies are interested in accessing the Indian market. Many even consider using India as a base to manufacture to cater to local demand as well as use it for supplying to regional/global markets.  However, most of them find getting a foothold here quite challenging,” Saxena stated in the letter.

He said that FISME was of the firm belief that the presence of foreign companies augurs well for India as well as Indian MSMEs.

“We think that most companies venturing beyond shores carry innovating ideas, technologies, and better practices.  MNCs lead global value chains and their presence here means opportunities for MSMEs to plug in their global network too,” he added.

The embassies and high commissions of the countries the FISME wrote to include Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Finland, Germany, Greece Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Korea, Russian Federation, Poland, Singapore, South Africa Spain Sweden, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates and England.

Also read: FISME to play key role in facilitating Korean MSMEs in India; may soon sign MoU with KOSMA