Govts should support businesses, especially MSMEs: Jaishankar

NEW DELHI: External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Friday said that governments should support the businesses in their countries, specifically the MSMEs (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises).

Speaking at the Asia Economic Dialogue 2021, Jaishankar said, "People expect today the government to bat for them. It is not just the business of Indian diplomacy to do business, it is the business of government to support businesses."

"Every government in the world does that, we in India haven't done that enough and I think that is changing. This realisation is very sharp in India," he added.


The Asia Economic Dialogue 2021 (AED 2021) is being jointly convened by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and Pune International Centre (PIC).

The theme for this year's conference is 'Post Covid-19 Global Trade and Finance Dynamics' featuring high-level international participation from foreign ministers of a number of countries, senior bureaucrats, industry leaders and global financial experts.

"We need to stand up for our business and that doesn't mean just big business, it means MSMEs," the EAM added.

After the meeting, Jaishankar said in a tweet, "Pleasure to participate at the Asia Economic Dialogue. Always good to talk with my colleague Marise Payne. Thank MEA and Pune International Centre for organising the engaging conversation on 'Resilient Global Growth in a Post-Pandemic World'.