Laghu Udyog Bharati

Weekly Insights for Entrepreneurs

Over 10 Lakh MSEs Onboarded As Govt Boosts GeM Access For Startups, Women Entrepreneurs

The measures include provision of Marketplace filters and product catalogue icons to distinguish product catalogues by MSMEs, startups and women entrepreneurs in Direct Purchase/ L1 mode of procurement and reduced Vendor Assessment Fees for OEMs and exemption from payment of caution money.
Other measures include forward market linkages for women, startups, self help groups, artisans and weavers, ODOP, FPOs etc. through the creation of eight GeM outlet stores.
The platform is also enabling complex services such as drone-as-a-service for AIIMS, GIS and insurance for over 1.3 crore lives, and wet leasing of chartered flights and CT scanners.
GeM has now been adopted across all 36 states and union territories. The total transaction value on GeM has reached around Rs 5.40 lakh crore in FY2024-25.

How Indian MSMEs Are Powering a Manufacturing Revival with the China+1 Strategy

Industry giants like Apple and Samsung are expanding local assembly, bringing with them a wave of smaller ancillary units, many of which are Indian MSMEs, into global supply chains.
Global buyers today are looking for resilience, flexibility, ethical sourcing, and innovation. Indian MSMEs, particularly those that have embraced digitisation, upgraded technology, or acquired international certifications, are increasingly ticking these boxes.
Global buyers are choosing Indian MSMEs not just for cost reasons, but also for faster turnaround, quality compliance, and easier communication. In short, Indian suppliers are no longer just an “alternative”—they’re becoming a preferred partner.
From engineering goods to textiles, pharmaceutical intermediates to auto components, sectors with deep MSME roots are seeing new export enquiries and order books swelling.

Govt Launches Export Promotion Mission for MSMEs

The mandate of Export Promotion Mission is to enhance export competitiveness by facilitating improved access to export credit, enabling cross-border factoring, and assisting MSMEs in addressing non-tariff barriers in global markets. Department of Commerce is the lead department for the Mission.
Additionally, Government has undertaken other initiatives across the country to boost exports by MSME, including the following:
International Cooperation Scheme of Ministry of MSME provides financial assistance to MSMEs for participation in international trade fairs and exhibitions.
The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) is piloting the E-Commerce Export Hubs (ECEHs) to assist MSMEs and traditional artisans in expanding their exports through e-commerce.

This Bengaluru Startup Built a Machine That Turns Waste Into Nutrient-Rich Compost in Just 8 Hours

Called the ‘Gold Composter’, their organic waste composter possesses an impressive capability of “seamlessly converting” waste amounting to anywhere between 20 kg to 10 tonnes into ‘nutrient-rich compost’ in just eight hours “without emitting harmful emissions.
"It employs a completely natural bio-mechanical process, harnessing the power of a proprietary bacteria and bioreactor technology\”.
\“This approach breaks down organic waste rapidly, eliminating the need for excessive heating and ensuring that no harmful emissions like methane are released into the environment. This results in a composting process with a low carbon footprint."
Thus far, their composters have been installed across approximately 150 locations around the country processing about 2,500 tonnes of waste and generating 1,200 tonnes of compost per month.

Startup claims it can make gold from mercury using fusion; science fiction turns real

By subjecting mercury isotopes to high-energy neutron bombardment, Marathon Fusion says it has found a way to turn mercury into gold.
Mercury-198, a typical type of mercury, is used as a multiplier in Marathon's approach. These atoms transform into mercury-197, a less stable form, when struck by a neutron.
Those atoms then spontaneously transform into a stable form of gold over a few days.
"Our approach is economically irresistible, practically feasible, and massively scalable, in contrast to prior attempts," Marathon Fusion stated. "An entirely new golden age begins now."

India-UK FTA: Big gains for Indians?

The India-UK FTA marks a significant milestone in India's engagement with major developed economies. “UK rolls out the red carpet for 'Made In India',” Union minister Piyush Goyal said.
99% of Indian exports to the UK will enjoy zero-duty access. Apparel and textile -- Nearly 100% of India's trade value will be duty free. Leather and Footwear from 16% to zero. Duty-free access to UK's gems and jewellery market.
Indian farmers get access to the UK's $37.5 billion agri-market and premium buyers. Duty-free exports on nearly 95% of agricultural products, while fisherfolk gain from Zero Duty on 99% of marine exports, boosting their incomes.
Zero duty market access for Indian generic drugs. 'Made in India' medical devices will attract no duty. Surgical instruments, diagnostic equipment, ECG machines, X-Ray systems exports to gain.

Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah unveils National Cooperation Policy, Targets Tourism, Green Energy, Insurance

It is a second policy, that comes after 23 years and aims to propel the cooperative sector to contribute three times more to the country's GDP, supporting India's goal of becoming a developed nation by 2047.
The policy mission will be implemented through six strategic pillars -- strengthening foundation, promoting vibrancy, making cooperatives future-ready, promoting inclusivity and deepening reach, entering new and emerging sectors, and shaping the young generation for cooperative growth.
The minister announced that a multi-purpose taxi cooperative will be established by the end of this year, while work to set up an insurance cooperative is progressing at full speed.

India unveils National Telecom Policy 2025, targeting affordable 5G, local manufacturing and digital sovereignty

Framed around six strategic missions, the policy aims to position India as a global telecom leader while ensuring inclusive, affordable, and secure connectivity across the nation.
Building on the 2018 National Digital Communications Policy, NTP-25 seeks to harness the potential of emerging technologies such as 5G, 6G, artificial intelligence, quantum communication, satellite networks, and blockchain. The goal is to bridge the digital divide, double the telecom sector’s GDP contribution, and create over a million jobs by 2030.
NTP-25 also sets a global tone, aiming to boost India’s presence in international standards forums and export markets. By enhancing research, manufacturing, and digital diplomacy, India hopes to shift from being a telecom consumer to a trusted global provider.

More from India less from China: How politics is changing America's import basket

The shift in trade patterns reflects ongoing geopolitical tensions, particularly policies pursued by the administration of US President Donald Trump, which have impacted China’s dominance and opened up opportunities for countries like India, Taiwan, and Switzerland.
From January to May 2025, India’s share of US imports rose to 3.1 per cent, up from 2.9 per cent during the same period last year. In contrast, China’s share saw a 2.7 percentage point drop. Switzerland emerged as a top gainer with a 3.3 percentage point increase, followed by gains for the European Union and Taiwan. Mexico and Canada also registered losses.
In textiles, China’s share fell sharply from 27 per cent in June 2024 to 14% by May 2025. India increased its share from 9 per cent to 12 per cent in the same timeframe, with Vietnam capturing 18 per cent, up from 14 per cent.

Top Indian Companies Line Up To Partner In Rs 60,000-Crore ITI Upgrade Scheme: Report

Eight corporates — Reliance Group, Adani Group, Mahindra Group, JK Cement, Jindal Group, Toyota India, Schneider Electric, and ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel — have already submitted their preferred states and sectors to the ministry, outlining plans to establish \“hub and spoke" ITIs to enhance skills training.
The financing structure includes Rs 30,000 crore from the Centre, Rs 20,000 crore from states, and ₹10,000 crore from the industry. Half of the central share is expected to be co-financed equally by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the World Bank.
The scheme will focus on upgradation of 1,000 Government ITIs in hub and spoke arrangement with industry aligned revamped trades (courses) and Capacity Augmentation of five (5) National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs), including setting up of five National Centres of Excellence for Skilling in these institutes.

5 Things to Know About Powerful New U.S.-India Satellite, NISAR

As the first joint satellite mission between NASA and the ISRO, NISAR marks a new chapter in the growing collaboration between the two space agencies. Years in the making, the launch of NISAR builds on a strong heritage of successful programs, including Chandrayaan-1 and the recent Axiom Mission 4, which saw ISRO and NASA astronauts living and working together aboard the International Space Station for the first time.
The new U.S.-India satellite called NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) will provide high-resolution data enabling scientists to comprehensively monitor the planet’s land and ice surfaces like never before, building a detailed record of how they shift over time.
The NISAR mission is slated to launch no earlier than July 30 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre on India’s southeastern coast aboard an ISRO Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle.
Here are five things to know about NISAR...

IISc’s agri-waste hydrogen breakthrough shows India a new fuel future - 5 kg of 99% pure green hydrogen every hour

The development comes at a time when India consumes nearly 50 lakh tonnes of hydrogen annually, with the bulk of it produced using fossil fuels through steam methane reforming.
the IISc team has built a two-stage biomass-to-hydrogen reactor system. In the first stage, biomass is converted into syngas — a hydrogen-rich fuel mixture — using oxygen and steam in a specially designed reactor. In the second, the syngas is processed through a low-pressure gas separation unit, developed in-house, to yield pure hydrogen.
What makes the system striking is its ability to extract 100 grams of hydrogen from every kilogram of biomass, even though only 60 grams of hydrogen are naturally present. This is possible because steam — which also contains hydrogen — participates in chemical reactions that enhance the yield.

Binned batteries to power India’s lithium boom

Scientists at the Bhavnagar-based Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute (CSMCRI) developed a clean, fast, and selective method to extract lithium from disposed batteries. This discovery could significantly reduce India's import bills as the country imports 100% of its lithium requirement.
Kannan Srinivasan, director of CSIR-CSMCRI, said, "This method avoids the harsh chemicals and high-energy use of existing processes." Lead researcher and Principal Scientist Alok Ranjan Paital said, "We achieved 97% lithium leaching efficiency in just one hour. Also, compared to 2–3 days required by traditional methods to extract one ton of lithium, this new technique delivers the same results in just 2–3 hours with higher purity."
CSMCRI is already in talks with industry players for commercial adoption.

IIT-G researchers develop bamboo composite for automotive interiors

"Due to its high strength, thermal stability, low moisture absorption, and cost-effectiveness, the developed composite is a suitable replacement for conventional plastics used in automotive interiors," an IIT-G spokesperson said.
"The developed composite can be used for designing components/parts in consumer electronics, automobiles, aerospace, sustainable building materials, etc. The product will replace wood/iron/plastic components and will have a similar cost and lead to fulfilling SGD goals (7, 8, and 9). This development is in line with the Make in India policy under the Green Tech Revolution."
The team is currently conducting a full life cycle assessment of the developed composite to measure its environmental impact from production to disposal. As the next step, the research team is planning to apply industrial techniques such as compression modelling and resin transfer to scale up production.

ICMR seeks collaboration for malaria vaccine production through tech transfer

The goal is to facilitate the commercialisation of this vaccine to prevent and minimize malaria transmission, and the EoI is open until August 17.
\“ICMR-Regional Medical Research Centre, Bhubaneswar (ICMR-RMRCBB) is one of the four constituent institutes that has led the development of the technology and has technical-know-how of the process to produce this recombinant chimeric multi-stage malaria vaccine in Lactococcus lactis.
The pre-clinical validation of this technology was conducted in collaboration with ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research (ICMR-NIMR), another constituent institute of ICMR, and National Institute of Immunology (NII), New Delhi, an autonomous research institute of the Department of Biotechnology,” it added

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