New Delhi, 9th August 2026: A grand National Traders’ Conference and Bhamashah Felicitation Ceremony was organised at the Constitution Club of India, New Delhi, to mark the 45th Foundation Day of the Bharatiya Udyog Vyapar Mandal (BUVM). The programme was presided over by the organisation’s National President, Shri Babulal Gupta (Rajasthan), and was effectively conducted by National Senior General Secretary Shri Mukund Mishra (Uttar Pradesh).

Around 1,000 trader representatives from 24 states and two Union Territories participated in the conference, demonstrating the unity, organisational strength and national coordination of the trading community.

Union Minister for Law and Justice Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal was the Chief Guest at the event. He said that promoting trade and business is essential to achieving the goal of a developed India. He emphasised that accelerating trade and commerce is necessary to expand the size of the country’s economy. He assured the traders that the government would take necessary steps to address their concerns on issues related to GST, online trade and other matters concerning the business community.

Durg Lok Sabha MP Shri Vijay Baghel, Rajya Sabha MP Smt. Sadhna Singh, former MP and Senior Vice President of the Uttar Pradesh Udyog Vyapar Mandal Shri Bhairav Prasad Mishra, along with several other public representatives and senior trade leaders, were present at the event.

Among the national and state office-bearers and representatives present were Shri Mohan Gurnani and Shri Kishor Bhai Kharawala from Maharashtra; Shri Taraknath Trivedi from West Bengal; Shri Rajpurohit and Shri Anurag Singla from Karnataka; Shri Prakash Mishra from Uttarakhand; Shri Hemant Gupta, Shri Prem Arora and Shri Rakesh Yadav from Delhi; Shri Sujit Roy from Tripura; Shri Prahlad Khandelwal from Odisha; Shri Ashok Modi from Chhattisgarh; Shri Gopal Agarwal and Shri Rajesh Jain from Madhya Pradesh; Shri Raju Apsara from Kerala; Shri Soundarya Rajan from Tamil Nadu; Shri Vijaylaxmi Gupta and Shri Bhanu Ji from Haryana; Shri Ranjan Agarwal and Shri Pyarelal Seth from Punjab; Shri Charanjit Singh and Shri Sanjeev from Chandigarh; and Shri Rajendra Prasad Gupta, Shri Dilip Seth, Shri Sunil Pandey and Shri Ashok Kansal from Uttar Pradesh, among several other senior office-bearers and trader representatives.

The conference called for increasing the target from 500 to 1,000 districts to promote local products, local trade and local tourism and advance the vision of ‘Local for Global’. National President Shri Babulal Gupta said that promoting local production, trade and tourism would strengthen employment and economic activity in districts and help connect traditional skills and crafts from villages with global markets.

The conference also discussed several key issues, including the need for a clear and effective regulatory framework for online trade, protection of small and traditional traders, addressing the unequal competition arising from e-commerce and mall culture, strengthening MSMEs, promoting the concept of “Investment in the District, for the District”, and establishing trader assistance groups in every district.

Several other major demands concerning the trading community were also discussed, including One Nation–One Mandi Tax, limiting mandi cess to 0.50 per cent, an amnesty scheme for the resolution of GST and old VAT cases, relief from GST on rented shops and houses, reduction in interest on delayed GST payments, and simplification of FSSAI regulations. It was decided that detailed proposals on these issues would be submitted to the Central Government.

Speakers recalled that late Shri Shyam Bihari Mishra, the founder of the Bharatiya Udyog Vyapar Mandal, who was a four-time Member of Parliament and a prominent leader of the traders’ movement, had initiated the movement for trader unity and protection of traders’ interests nearly 45 years ago. They said that the movement has today evolved into a strong national organisation. All state, district and city-level units of the organisation continue to work towards protecting and strengthening the interests of the trading community in line with the same vision.

National President Shri Babulal Gupta congratulated the various state units of the organisation for successfully conducting traders’ conferences and training programmes across the country. He said that the Bharatiya Udyog Vyapar Mandal has emerged as a strong national voice for the trading community from Kashmir to Kanyakumari.

The National President congratulated and extended his best wishes to the entire Delhi Pradesh team of the Bharatiya Udyog Vyapar Mandal for successfully organising the event. He also expressed special gratitude to the Federation of All India Food Grain Dealers Association for its important support as a partner organisation in the event.

At the conclusion of the programme, National President Shri Babulal Gupta announced that a “Local to Global National Trade Conference” would be organised at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, in January 2027. The conference will aim to provide fresh impetus at the national level to youth entrepreneurship, local trade, local production, local tourism and the “One City–One Product” initiative.

 On MSME Day, as we reflect on the theme ‘The Future Generation of MSMEs’ with its focus on human centered entrepreneurship in an AI driven economy, we celebrate the backbone of India’s growth, enterprises that drive innovation, employment, and regional progress. MSMEs contribute nearly 30% to India’s GDP and support over 110 million livelihoods, making them central to the nation’s growth story.

Progressive government initiatives such as Udyam registration, enhanced credit access, and digital public infrastructure are accelerating the formalisation and resilience of this sector. However, rising risks including climate volatility and evolving supply chain disruptions underscore the need for stronger, future ready protection frameworks.

General Insurance must evolve into a proactive growth enabler for MSMEs, helping them scale with confidence in an increasingly uncertain world. It is no longer just about protection, but about anticipating risks, enabling faster recovery, and supporting sustainable growth.

At IndusInd General Insurance, we are committed to delivering simple, affordable, and customer centric solutions powered by technology and insight to support MSMEs at every stage of their journey. Strengthening MSMEs is not just an economic imperative, it is key to building a resilient, self-reliant, and future ready Bharat.

The SME Business Activity Index (SME-BAI) rose to 58.9 during October–December 2025, up from 58.3 in the previous quarter, remaining well above the neutral threshold of 50, he said.

He added, the improvement reflects stronger new orders, stable production levels, improved employment conditions, easing supplier delivery timelines, and higher inventory restocking in anticipation of future demand. The rise in new orders are in line with a year-on-year increase in consumer durable output as per the Index of Industrial Production during the same period, strengthening signs of demand recovery.

The SME Business Outlook Index (SME-BOI) for January–March 2026 increased marginally to 60.8, suggesting cautious approach due to global uncertainty. Nearly half of respondents expect business activity to remain unchanged in the near term, however, the percentage anticipating improvement has increased compared to Round 2. Hiring intentions show gradual improvement, and a majority of respondents expect higher capital expenditure, indicating confidence in medium-term growth prospects, he said.

Union Budget FY2027: Expected Impact on SMEs

Expectations from the Union Budget FY2027 are a key factor supporting the positive outlook. Continued emphasis on public capital expenditure, is expected to support infrastructure-linked SME demand, particularly in agriculture and allied manufacturing sectors. Enhanced credit support measures, and reduced borrowing costs are likely to strengthen SMEs investment planning, with potential upside to the SME Business Outlook Index in subsequent quarters, he said.

Continued export support measures are expected to bolster new orders for manufacturing SMEs, while investments in digital infrastructure and supply-chain capabilities are anticipated to improve market access, productivity, and employment generation.

Dr. Ranjeet Mehta, CEO and Secretary General, PHDCCI, stated that the survey underscores the need for targeted incentives, enhanced R&D support, and robust development frameworks to accelerate technology adoption among SMEs. He further emphasized that timely enforcement of the 45-day payment norm for MSMEs, a review of quality control orders impacting machinery imports, rising energy costs, and the increasing impact of climate change on input prices necessitate the design and introduction of new financial hedging instruments.

The objective of the program was to strengthen existing relationships with MSME customers across the South Delhi Region and to engage with new MSME enterprises. The program was inaugurated by Smt. Mini T.M., Chief General Manager & Zonal Head, New Delhi Zone, and facilitated by Shri M.V.S. Sudhakar, Deputy General Manager – Business Development, New Delhi Zone, and Shri Samir Kumar Ojha, Deputy General Manager & Regional Head, South Delhi Region.

Speaking on the occasion, Smt. Mini TM, Chief General Manager & Zonal Head, New Delhi Zone said, “Our MSME Outreach Program is a strategic initiative to connect Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises with the formal banking system, enhancing their access to tailored financial products. It is our firm belief that by fostering deeper engagement and building lasting relationships, we can empower these MSME enterprises to thrive and unlock their full potential.”

The event witnessed enthusiastic participation from MSME stakeholders, entrepreneurs, and senior officials of the Bank, including the Deputy Regional Head, South Delhi Region, and branch managers.

The South Delhi Region, comprising 47 branches across New Delhi, contributed approximately 36% to the total MSME business of New Delhi Zone as of 31st March 2025, highlighting the region’s vital role in driving MSME growth.