Ease of Doing Business for MSMEs: India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant engaged 500 micro, small and medium enterprises and created 12,000 jobs in ancillary industries, said the Economic Survey 2022-23 released by the Ministry of Finance on Tuesday.
The Survey was tabled by the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today. It said that the drive to create a self-reliant country has accelerated the indigenisation efforts by the Indian Navy leading to an increase in partnerships with Indian MSME vendors and suppliers.
“The recently commissioned INS Vikrant alone engaged approximately 500 MSMEs, 12,000 employees from ancillary industries, and 2,000 shipyard employees,” the Survey said.
The survey added that shipbuilding has a vast base of ancillary industries, including steel, engineering equipment, port infrastructure, trade and shipping services which once developed can give a boost to the manufacturing sector. “With the development of these ancillary industries, the sector generates opportunities for smaller businesses and strengthens supply chain networks,” it said.
The survey further noted that around 65 per cent of value-added products used in the construction of a ship are produced by manufacturers of shipboard materials, equipment, and systems.
Meanwhile, the Indian Navy had collaborated with 120 MSMEs in the indigenous project of building two Diving Support Vessels (DSVs), Nistar and Nipun. Its statement released in September last year mentioned that the project was executed with the support from Indian Industry, majorly MSME firms who have supplied yard material, equipment and services.
Besides, the Defence Ministry was the top procuring ministry of goods and services from MSME sellers in the calendar year 2022, said the government’s public procurement e-commerce marketplace Government eMarketplace (GeM) recently. The Ministry had procured Rs 15,047.98 crore worth of goods and services from MSMEs in FY22, up by 250 per cent from FY21, FE Aspire had reported last year.