Bhubaneswar, Oct 26: Odisha's micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) could get an opportunity to expand their international business networks if India and the Netherlands establish a proposed mechanism to connect smaller businesses from the two countries.

Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Monday that India and the Netherlands would explore setting up a dedicated mechanism to help MSMEs identify suitable business partners and forge commercial relationships. He said the proposed mechanism would deepen MSME ties between the two countries, which elevated bilateral relations to a strategic partnership in May 2026.

Speaking at the India-Netherlands Business Forum in The Hague, Goyal said smaller enterprises often struggle to find international partners, unlike larger companies with established business networks.

The proposal could be relevant for Odisha, where the government is seeking to diversify exports and expand opportunities in manufacturing and other non-mineral sectors.

According to the Odisha Economic Survey 2025–26, the state's merchandise exports stood at around ₹85,500 crore in 2024–25, with metals and minerals accounting for nearly 85 per cent of the export basket.

The survey identifies engineering goods, chemicals, marine products, textiles and agricultural products among the sectors that could contribute to a broader export base.

Odisha's product-wise export figures for 2024–25 included ₹7,022.75 crore in engineering, chemical and allied products, ₹4,614.33 crore in marine products and ₹755.13 crore in textiles. These sectors offer a starting point for examining how local enterprises could explore international buyers, suppliers and technology partners.

The scale of the state's MSME sector also underlines the potential significance of wider market access. Odisha had 23.5 lakh registered MSMEs as of January 31, 2026, according to the survey, with nearly 99.5 per cent classified as micro and informal micro enterprises.

For smaller businesses, access to overseas markets can depend not only on product competitiveness but also on finding buyers, meeting quality and certification requirements, securing finance and developing reliable supply-chain relationships. A dedicated business-matching mechanism could help address one of these challenges by facilitating connections between enterprises.

However, the proposal remains at the discussion stage. The two countries have yet to announce the mechanism's structure, eligibility criteria or implementation timeline, and it is not yet clear how Odisha-based enterprises would participate.

The state already has an export policy, introduced in 2022, aimed at promoting exports and supporting eligible businesses in accessing external markets. If the proposed bilateral initiative moves forward, it could provide another avenue for Odisha's export-oriented MSMEs to explore international partnerships. (With ANI inputs)