Decoding Financial Inclusion of MSMEs with Bindu Ananth

With the government push towards an ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’, India has signalled that MSME will drive employment opportunities in the country. By 2025, MSMEs are anticipated to account for 50% of the national GDP and 60% of exports. Despite governments' best efforts, more than 90% of MSMEs remain micro-enterprises.

Instead of growing from small to large firms, MSMEs are stuck in the missing middle syndrome- perennially small and unable to grow. While the government has taken steps to address this through various schemes, the MSME ecosystem has seen a rise of digital lending models as a potential solution to the credit gap. These digital models are enabling a digital footprint of businesses and also offering customised products based on the needs of the firms.

In this podcast episode on the Financial Inclusion of MSMEs, we are joined by Bindu Ananth (Chair, Co-founder and Managing Trustee, Dvara Holdings), who has over 20 years of experience in the sector. We explore the challenges and potential solutions for the unique financing needs of MSMEs in India. We will also deep dive into major causes that have prevailed MSMEs in accessing affordable credit along with understanding the opportunities that lie ahead for digital lending in India.