Question : MoU with Foreign Countries

(a) whether the Government has signed any Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in the field of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) with foreign countries including Sweden and Netherland;

(b) if so, the details and the salient features thereof along with the extent to which such cooperation is likely to help Indian MSME sector, country-wise;

(c) whether the Government proposes to establish MSME cell in the Indian Missions in major countries for promotion of the Indian MSME and if so, the details thereof, country-wise;

(d) whether the Government proposes to organize annual MSME fairs/exhibitions for promotion of MSME in major foreign countries; and

(e) if so, the details thereof, country-wise?

MINISTER OF MICRO, SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES
(SHRI KALRAJ MISHRA)

(a) & (b): The Government enters into long-term Agreements/Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with various countries for promoting cooperation in the field of MSMEs in the broad areas of capacity building, industrial surveys and feasibility studies, enterprise to enterprise collaboration, participation in exhibitions and trade fairs, exchanging business missions, technology transfer etc.

The Ministry of MSME has entered into long term agreements, Memorandum of Understanding/Joint Action Plan with 18 countries viz., Tunisia, Romania, Rwanda, Mexico, Uzbekistan, Lesotho, Sri Lanka, Algeria, Sudan, Cote d’Ivoire, Egypt, Republic of South Korea, Mozambique, Botswana, Indonesia, Vietnam, Mauritius and Sweden. Ministry of MSME has not signed any MoU with Netherland. Details of the signed MoUs are as follows:
<pre>
Sl. No. Year of signing Name of the Country Name of Agreement Counterpart Ministry/ Organisation Date of signing and place
1 2000 Republic of Sudan Agreement Government of the Republic of Sudan. 09.04.2000 Khartoum
2 2003 Peoples Democratic Republic of Algeria Memorandum of Understanding Ministry of Small and Medium Size Enterprises and Handicrafts 10.10.2003
New Delhi

3 2004 Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Memorandum of Understanding Ministry of Industry 27.01.2004
New Delhi
4 2004 Kingdom of Lesotho Memorandum of Understanding Government of the Kingdom of Lesotho. 10.09.2004,
Maseru
5 2005 Republic of Uzbekistan Agreement Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan. 05.04.2005
New Delhi
6 2006 United Mexican States Memorandum of Understanding Secretariat of Economy of the United Mexican States. 27.03.2006,
Mexico
7 2006 Republic of Rwanda Memorandum of Understanding Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Investment Promotion, Tourism and Cooperatives 30.08.2006
Kigali

8 2006 Romania Memorandum of Understanding National Agency for Small & Medium-Sized Enterprises and Cooperatives 23.10.2006
New Delhi


9 2007 Cote D’Ivoire Memorandum of Understanding Ministry of Industry and Promotion of Private Sector 14.02.2007
New Delhi
10 2007 Republic of Tunisia Cooperation Agreement Government of the Republic of Tunisia. 08.02.2007
Tunis
11 2009 Arab Republic of Egypt Joint Action Plan Ministry of Trade and Industry 29.10.2009
Cairo
12 2010 Republic of Botswana Memorandum of Understanding Government of the Republic of Botswana. 17.06.2010 New Delhi
13 2010 Republic of Korea Memorandum of Understanding Small and Medium Business Administration 18.06.2010
Korea
14 2010 Republic of Mozambique Memorandum of Understanding Ministry of Industry and Commerce 30.09.2010 New Delhi
15 2011 Republic of Indonesia Memorandum of Understanding Ministry for Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises 25.01.2011
New Delhi

16 2013 Socialist Republic of Vietnam Memorandum of Understanding Ministry of Planning and Investment 15.01.2013 Hanoi
17 2013 Republic of Mauritius Memorandum of Understanding Ministry of Business, Enterprise and Cooperatives 02.12.2013
Port-Louis
18 2015 Kingdom of Sweden Memorandum of Understanding Ministry of Enterprise and Innovation 01.06.2015
Stockholm
</pre>

The above MoUs, Agreements, etc. provide for a structured framework and enabling environment to discuss issues of mutual interest concerning the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and to explore possibilities of cooperation for the development of MSME sector in both the countries. Further, international cooperation in MSME sector, apart from generating goodwill for the country and strengthening of friendly relations with the partner countries, also benefits Indian MSMEs and opens up new opportunities for them by way of new markets, joint ventures, sharing of best practices, technology collaborations, etc.

(c): At present, the Government in Ministry of MSME has no proposal to establish MSME cell in the Indian Missions abroad.

(d)&(e): The Government in Ministry of MSME facilitates participation of Indian MSMEs in foreign exhibitions/fairs under its schemes which aim at exploring new areas of technology infusion/upgradation, facilitating joint ventures, improving market of MSMEs’ products, foreign collaborations, etc.