Praveen Khandelwal states that the Budget is strategically aligned with the ‘Swadeshi’ call of Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Emphasising that the Union Budget 2026 is a high-aspiration and forward-looking document, Praveen Khandelwal, Member of Parliament from Chandni Chowk and Secretary General of the Confederation of All India Traders (Cait) stated that it places small businesses and traders at the very centre of India’s development strategy.
Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Khandelwal said it is for the first time that micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) sector has been kept at the centre of the budget and described the Budget as a bold, growth-oriented and trader-friendly roadmap for Viksit Bharat @2047.
Khandelwal said the Budget is strategically aligned with the ‘Swadeshi’ call of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, promoting domestic manufacturing, value addition and branding of Indian products, while simultaneously strengthening India’s export potential.
“This seamless linkage between Swadeshi and global outreach will enable Indian goods to access new international markets with greater confidence and competitiveness,” he said.
Welcoming the notification of a Rs 10,000 crore SME Growth Fund, Khandelwal pointed out that it clearly reflects the government’s intent to integrate MSMEs into India’s long-term growth and export ambitions.
“By resting support on three critical pillars, equity infusion, enhanced liquidity and professional handholding, the initiative provides a comprehensive framework for scaling MSMEs,” he said. He explained that equity support, unlike traditional debt, allows firms to invest in technology, expand production and explore export markets without the immediate pressure of repayments.
Khandelwal noted that as India navigates a volatile global trade environment while expanding its network of Free Trade Agreements, such measures are timely and strategic, enabling MSMEs to scale up and integrate into global value chains.
He further observed that India’s next export surge will likely come not from a handful of large conglomerates, but from thousands of competitive, well-supported and globally oriented MSMEs. Highlighting the Corporate Mitras scheme, Khandelwal said it will bring a transformational change in the business ecosystem by simplifying compliance.
Under the scheme, professional institutions will design short-term modular courses to develop accredited ‘Corporate Mitras’ across tier 2 and tier 3 towns.
