ET SME Summit, Dehradun, showcases MSME resilience and growth outlook

The ET Make in India SME Regional Summit in Dehradun on March 20, 2026, the final leg of its 20-city national series, saw strong industry participation, underscoring the resilience of the micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) ecosystem in the region.

The summit opened with an address by Anupam Dwivedi, Joint Director, Directorate of Industries, Uttarakhand, outlining the city’s evolving industrial ecosystem and key state policy initiatives driving manufacturing and enterprise growth.

“For ease of doing business, the state government has notified a single-window Act enabling MSMEs to obtain NOCs from relevant departments. Structural reforms have also been undertaken. The scope of services under the single-window system has expanded from fewer than 100 to over 200 on a single portal,” said Dwivedi.


This was followed by a panel discussion on “Make in the Mountains: Strengthening manufacturing MSMEs in Uttarakhand,” featuring experts and industry leaders.

Pankaj Gupta, State President, Industries Association of Uttarakhand, Dehradun, said, “The state has seen exponential growth, with over 90,000 manufacturing and service enterprises, generating employment for 4.5 lakh people and supporting the livelihoods of 90 lakh, reflecting the strength of MSMEs here.”

“Women’s participation has moved well beyond self-help groups and home-based enterprises; they are now driving entrepreneurial success across sectors,” said Dr Geeta Khanna, Chairperson, FICCI-FLO, Uttarakhand Chapter.

“We are the second-largest state in India in the MSME manufacturing segment, reflecting the progress made over the past 4–5 years. The government is actively rolling out policies and subsidies to support manufacturing units,” said Archit Dawar, Chairman, Indian Industries Association (IIA), Dehradun Chapter.

“BSE has 710 companies listed on its SME platform, which have raised Rs 15,000 crore, with a combined market capitalisation of nearly Rs 1.8 lakh crore, reflecting the wealth created for companies and investors,” said Gaurav Kapoor, Senior Vice President, Business Development & Marketing, BSE Ltd.

“Uttarakhand has around 130 WHO-GMP compliant plants. While the state offers subsidies, the Centre’s RPTUAS scheme provides up to Rs 2 crore, which several pharma companies are leveraging to upgrade their facilities,” said Saurabh Agarwal, Director, HAB Pharma.

Then followed a mini panel on the topic “From idea to impact: Building a thriving startup ecosystem.” Abhinav Ahluwalia, Founder & CEO, Kisan Window, said, “We are a farm-to-fork brand exploring ‘Bharat ki khoj’ through food. India has immense potential in food products, with a strong need to focus on value addition, especially at the farm level.”

“We serve the Indian Army and Navy, and recently delivered vehicles to the Indian Air Force. The ecosystem here is well-managed, enabling startups like ours to grow,” said Vikash Kumar Shah, Founder & CEO, Flux Motors.

“NSIC has facilitated numerous startups in Uttarakhand, though access to banking and finance remains a challenge. We scrutinise proposals and forward them to banks, recommending those offering the best ROI for assistance,” said Ashwani Kumar Sharma, Branch Head, National Small Industries Corporation Ltd (NSIC) Dehradun.

Soon after, Shivanshu Tyagi, Assistant Sales Manager, Canon India, took the stage to present on “Making Business Simple with Canon” at the ET Make in India SME Regional Summit in Dehradun.

This was followed by an exclusive fireside chat with Kiran Jacob, Deputy General Manager, New India Assurance Co Ltd, on “Empowering MSMEs Through Comprehensive Insurance: Bridging the Protection Gap.”

“Insurance is a cornerstone of any economy. Advanced economies have coverage of at least 6%, while general insurance penetration in India stands at around 1%,” said Jacob.

Neehar Pathare, MD, CEO & CIO, 63SATS Cybertech, then addressed the summit through a pre-recorded video message. “Globally, 43% of cyberattacks target MSMEs, while in India, 58% have faced some form of breach, underscoring that cybersecurity is now essential for every business,” said Pathare.

Thereafter, Shweta Gupta, DGM and Head, Credit Solution Centre, Dehradun, IDBI Bank, took the stage to deliver a presentation at the ET Make in India SME Regional Summit.

The ET Make in India SME Regional Summit in Dehradun concluded on a strong note, highlighting how the region’s MSMEs can leverage their core strengths and collaborate more effectively to drive collective growth.

The event was sponsored by IDBI Bank as the Banking & Lending Partner; The New India Assurance Co. Ltd. as the General (Non-Life) Insurance Partner; BSE India as SME Listing Enabler; Canon as Tech Enabler; and 63 SATS Cybertech as the Cybersecurity Partner.

The focus now shifts to the ET MSME Awards 2025, to be held on March 24, 2026, in New Delhi.