Walmart Bets Big on Indian MSMEs

by R. Suryamurthy May 7, 2026

By R. Suryamurthy May 7, 2026 0 comments 2 minutes read

Courtesy: Walmart

India’s small businesses and export-focused manufacturers took center stage on May 7 as Walmart hosted the second edition of its Growth Summit in the India’s national capital, underscoring the retailer’s push to deepen sourcing and supply chain partnerships in the country.

Held at Bharat Mandapam, the Walmart Growth Summit–India 2026 brought together micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), digital-first brands, exporters and supply chain partners to explore opportunities in domestic and overseas markets.

The company said it has already sourced more than $40 billion worth of goods from India and is looking to expand export capabilities by strengthening supplier networks and improving manufacturing standards.

“India represents one of the most dynamic opportunities in global commerce today,” said John Furner. He said Walmart is focused on helping Indian businesses become export-ready by enhancing compliance, quality standards and production scale.

The summit also marked a milestone for Walmart Vriddhi, the retailer’s supplier development program launched in 2019, which the company said has now trained more than 115,000 MSMEs across India in digital tools, business skills and market access.

Walmart said the program aims to support 170,000 MSMEs by 2028 as part of efforts to build a larger pipeline of export-ready Indian businesses.

Flipkart Group CEO Kalyan Krishnamurthy said digital commerce was helping create new opportunities for small businesses, artisans and entrepreneurs across India.

“Through initiatives like Flipkart Samarth and Walmart Vriddhi, we are helping build capabilities, improve market access, and create pathways for businesses to grow both domestically and globally,” he said.

A major attraction at the summit was a dedicated resource center offering one-on-one guidance to sellers on onboarding to Walmart Marketplace, understanding export regulations and scaling cross-border operations.

According to Walmart, the event received more than 5,000 registrations, reflecting growing interest among Indian sellers in accessing overseas consumers, particularly in the United States market.

Manish Joneja said India’s ambitions in global commerce were accelerating and the marketplace platform was working with government bodies and trade organizations to help Indian businesses expand internationally.

The summit followed regional outreach events held in Jaipur and Coimbatore in collaboration with the Directorate General of Foreign Trade and the Federation of Indian Export Organizations, targeting MSME clusters and export-oriented enterprises.

Walmart, which operates a wholesale business and supports e-commerce, payments and logistics operations in India, said it remains committed to strengthening local supply chains and supporting kiranas, farmers, artisans and women-led enterprises as part of its long-term India strategy.