The Quality Council of India (QCI) and the National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance quality standards, competitiveness, and market access for India's Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). The partnership aims to create an integrated support framework that enables MSMEs to improve product quality while expanding their presence in domestic and international markets.

The collaboration brings together several key initiatives, including the MSME Sustainable (ZED) Certification Scheme, MSME Global Mart, the TEAM Initiative, and the Single Point Registration Scheme (SPRS). Under the agreement, ZED-certified MSMEs will gain access to digital commerce platforms, onboarding support through the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), AI-enabled product cataloguing, and export promotion services.

The MoU also focuses on strengthening quality infrastructure through NABL accreditation of NSIC laboratories, convergence of certification programmes, and capacity-building initiatives for training centres. A Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) will oversee the implementation of the agreement over the next five years, ensuring continuous collaboration and identifying new opportunities to improve the competitiveness of Indian MSMEs in an increasingly global marketplace.