The Tamil Nadu government’s Micro Small and Medium Enterprises Trade and Investment Promotion Bureau (M-TIPB) entered into an MoU with Flipkart/Walmart for promotion of e-commerce and establish long-term cooperation for providing capacity-building support to MSMEs in Tamil Nadu through a supplier development programme.
The Tamil Nadu government signed the Memorandum of Understanding for 24 projects worth Rs 2,120.54 crore, while Chief Minister M K Stalin said the government’s goal is to increase the state’s exports to USD 100 billion by 2030.
This initiative envisages expanding the capabilities of MSMEs through intensive training and support and equip them to scale up their businesses and become part of domestic and global supply chains. Through the Walmart Vriddhi Supplier Development Programme (Walmart Vriddhi), delivered by knowledge partner Swasti, entrepreneurs and small businesses will receive training free of cost, through a blended learning approach.
The programme will provide opportunities to join online, offline and export channels, and reach pan-India and global marketplaces as part of the supply chains of Walmart, Flipkart, and other leading companies.
On the signing of the MoU, Tamil Nadu chief minister M K Stalin said, “Tamil Nadu is home to one of the largest numbers of MSMEs in the country that are renowned all over the world for their product quality and craftsmanship. Our MSMEs are the backbone of our economy, and their growth is key to helping us achieve our vision of making Tamil Nadu a $1 trillion economy by 2030. We welcome the MoU with Walmart, Flipkart and Swasti, which shall further strengthen our MSME ecosystem and allow them to expand their businesses through access to online and offline retail.”
Nidhi Munjal, VP, international partnership services, Walmart, said, “Through Walmart Vriddhi, we look forward to partnering with the government of Tamil Nadu and supporting their efforts to build a robust MSME ecosystem, by providing potential access to online and offline markets in India and globally as well as providing local training and support, free of cost. We are committed to tripling our exports from India to $10 billion annually by 2027, and will keep extending our support to small businesses, enabling them to grow and prosper.”
“Flipkart has made significant supply chain and infrastructure investments in the State of Tamil Nadu. Furthering our commitment to the State, we recently launched a dedicated grocery fulfillment centre in Coimbatore that shall generate significant employment opportunities for the youth of the State,” said Senior director and Head-marketplace, Flipkart, Jagjeet Harode.
“Through programmes like Walmart Vriddhi and Flipkart Samarth, we are committed to empowering Tamil Nadu’s MSMEs, artisans and craftsmen and will continue providing them the ecosystem support they require to grow,” he added.