India’s Industrial Resilience Hinges On Innovation, CII Urges Stronger MSME Ecosystem

Mumbai: Building competitive and resilient enterprises will require innovation, technology adoption, closer industry-government coordination and support for micro, small and medium enterprises, CII Western Region Deputy Chairman Milon Nag said.

Nag, who is also Chairman and Managing Director of K K Nag Pvt Ltd, was addressing an industry meet organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry. The programme brought together CII leaders, entrepreneurs and industry representatives to examine ways of strengthening the industrial ecosystem amid shifting market, technological and regulatory conditions.

Innovation Imperative

Nag said businesses must continually innovate, respond to changing customer and market requirements, and embrace technologies to remain competitive and future-ready.

He underlined the need for structured engagement between industry and government so that policies reflect realities and practical implementation challenges.

Nag also highlighted CII’s network of 13 Centres of Excellence, which assists companies through research, capacity building, productivity improvement, workforce development and technology adoption.

MSME Priorities

For MSMEs, Nag identified supply-chain competitiveness, digital transformation, employee upskilling and preparation for a sustainable, net-zero future as critical priorities.

He called for collaborative action to simplify regulations, reinforce digital governance and improve the ease of doing business, helping smaller enterprises scale and withstand economic disruptions.

Regional Opportunities

Anup Parashar, Chairman of the CII Thane Zonal Council and Director-Corporate Affairs at Raymond Lifestyle Ltd, outlined the council’s focus on supply-chain integration, infrastructure and logistics, and industry-academia collaboration to meet emerging skill requirements.

Parashar said projects including the upcoming Vadhavan Port could unlock economic and logistics opportunities for the region.

He added that the council would continue providing platforms for dialogue, knowledge sharing and policy advocacy, with emphasis on MSME development, sustainability, skills and business facilitation.

The discussions stressed innovation, collaboration and continuous learning as essential for building future-ready companies. CII reaffirmed its commitment to sustainable and inclusive growth under India’s Viksit Bharat 2047 vision.

More than 90 delegates attended, including CII members, non-members, industry association representatives and leaders from diverse sectors.