QCI-NSIC partnership to boost quality standards, market access for MSMEs

The Quality Council of India (QCI) and the National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen quality, competitiveness and market access for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). The initiative is expected to benefit India's leather and footwear manufacturing ecosystem also, where a large share of enterprises operate as MSMEs.

The collaboration combines QCI's expertise in quality assurance, accreditation and certification with NSIC's extensive MSME support network to encourage wider adoption of internationally recognized quality standards across manufacturing sectors, including leather, footwear, leather goods and allied industries.

A key focus of the partnership is the integration of major government initiatives such as the MSME Sustainable (ZED) Certification Scheme, MSME Global Mart, the TEAM Initiative, and the Single Point Registration Scheme (SPRS). These initiatives are expected to help leather and footwear MSMEs improve product quality, enhance manufacturing processes, expand digital market access and strengthen their presence in domestic and export markets.

Under the MoU, ZED-certified MSMEs will gain enhanced opportunities through MSME Global Mart, onboarding to the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) under the TEAM Initiative, AI-enabled product cataloguing and dedicated export promotion support. The collaboration will also strengthen testing and accreditation infrastructure by supporting NABL accreditation for NSIC laboratories and enabling NABET-led assessment, accreditation and customized training programs for NSIC training centers.

The partnership will further encourage convergence between ZED Certification and NSIC's Single Point Registration Scheme, making it easier for manufacturing MSMEs, including those in the leather and footwear sector, to access government procurement opportunities while improving compliance with quality benchmarks.

The collaboration leverages the complementary strengths of QCI and NSIC to accelerate quality adoption across India's MSME ecosystem by integrating ZED Certification with QCI's quality infrastructure, including NABL, NABET and NABCB, while utilizing NSIC's outreach and support mechanisms to enhance competitiveness and promote a stronger culture of quality , said Senior Director and Head , National Division for Industry Excellence (NDIE), QCI, Dr. A. Raj said

To oversee implementation, QCI and NSIC will establish a Joint Coordination Committee (JCC), which will meet quarterly during the five-year tenure of the MoU to review progress, identify new areas of collaboration and guide joint initiatives.

Chairman-cum-Managing Director NSIC, Dr. Subhransu Sekhar Acharya said ,”MSMEs remain central to India's journey towards Viksit Bharat 2047 and noted that the partnership would strengthen quality, market access and institutional support, enabling enterprises to improve competitiveness and achieve sustainable growth”.

For the leather and footwear industry, the partnership is expected to promote higher quality standards, improve testing and certification capabilities, facilitate digital and export market access and contribute to the long-term vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.