If we could have Operation Sindoor, why can’t we have Operation Exports?” That question, posed by Vinod Kumar, President of the India SME Forum, captures the urgency facing India’s micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) as they confront a survival crisis amid steep US tariffs.

The United States’ decision to impose tariffs of up to 50% on most Indian goods exports—ostensibly due to continued purchases of Russian oil—has exposed the fragility of India’s trade ecosystem. While large corporations may absorb the shock, MSMEs—including countless family-run units employing over 110 million people and contributing significantly to exports—are being pushed to the brink. According to the India SME Forum, which represents around 100,000 small businesses, US $30 billion worth of MSME exports and around 80,000 jobs are at risk. Key affected sectors include textiles, pharmaceuticals, engineering goods, electronics, and jewellery.

This is not a theoretical concern—it is a looming disaster.

Amid rising global instability, India must embed resilience into its trade architecture.

The government’s four-pillar strategy—diversifying trade partners, expanding the export basket, boosting domestic manufacturing, and reviewing trade imbalances—is a welcome framework. However, these are long-term goals. MSMEs require immediate, targeted relief.

The India SME Forum has laid out a clear roadmap: operationalise the long-delayed Global Market Intelligence Service (GMIS), establish MSME trade desks abroad, streamline access to concessional credit,........

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