How Indian MSMEs Can Scale Globally | Industry Fireside Chat

The fireside chat at “Manufacturing Reimagined: Build Better. Build Beyond.”, organised by SME Communities in collaboration with FIEO, brought together seasoned voices from India’s manufacturing ecosystem to address a critical question: can electronics manufacturing SMEs evolve into globally competitive suppliers within the next three years?

The discussion moderated by Mr. Prashant Laxmeshwar, Founding Director, Amanha Idealabs, moved beyond surface-level optimism and focused on the structural shifts required across capability building, ecosystem collaboration and infrastructure readiness.

Mr. Anil Kumar Muniswamy, Founder & MD, SLN Technologies, highlighted a fundamental shift in global buyer expectations. He noted that competitiveness is no longer defined by cost alone, but by design capability, product reliability and the ability to deliver consistent quality. He emphasised that deeper component localisation will be a decisive factor in shaping India’s electronics manufacturing trajectory.

Adding to this, Mr. Sanjeev Keskar, CEO, Arvind Consultancy, underscored the importance of ecosystem-driven growth. He pointed out that SMEs can no longer operate in silos and must transition towards networked growth models, where collaboration between OEMs, industry associations and policymakers becomes critical for scale and sustainability.

From a cluster-level perspective, Mr. Venkatesh Krishnamoorthy, Partner, Benaka Electronics, brought attention to the role of industrial ecosystems such as Peenya. He stressed that infrastructure stability, integrated supply chains and policy continuity are essential to sustain export momentum and enable SMEs to compete globally.

The session delivered a clear and practical message: India’s manufacturing ambitions will depend on how effectively SMEs build capabilities, collaborate within ecosystems and leverage structural enablers. Watch the full fireside chat