Walmart, Flipkart sign MoU with Haryana to support local MSMEs under supplier development programme

Flipkart and Amazon reportedly had moved the Supreme Court last month to challenge the Karnataka High Court order that allowed CCI to continue with its antitrust probe against the two. (Image: Reuters)

Ease of Doing Business for MSMEs: Walmart and Flipkart on Wednesday announced a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Directorate of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), Government of Haryana, to support MSMEs under Walmart’s supplier development programme called Walmart Vriddhi. The programme will offer state MSMEs free of cost training and support apart from “opportunities to join online, offline and export channels and reach pan-India and global marketplaces as part of the supply chains of Walmart, Flipkart, and other leading companies,” the company said in a statement. 

The first Walmart Vriddhi e-Institute was launched in Haryana in October to support MSMEs from the Panipat-Sonipat-Kundli region. Walmart said thousands of entrepreneurs are now working through the multi-level training program, with some already onboarded to Flipkart. “The partnership provides an opportunity for local businesses to become self-reliant and will boost their reach into national markets and facilitate their participation in global value chains,” said Dushyant Chautala, Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister, Government of Haryana.  

With e-Institutes in Panipat and Agra, the free programme offers to learn through online modules with feedback and advisory sessions. Walmart said the goal is to empower 50,000 MSMEs by 2025 even as Walmart looks to triple its exports from India to $10 billion annually by 2027.

“This (MoU) is a vital part of our commitment towards sourcing $10 billion annually by 2027 from India, so our consumers can access quality goods, no matter where in the world they are buying. India is a key market for us, and we are committed to helping support and grow communities wherever we operate,” said Nidhi Munjal, Vice President, International Partnership Services, Walmart in the statement. Flipkart and Amazon reportedly had moved the Supreme Court of India last month to challenge the Karnataka High Court order that allowed the Competition Commission of India (CCI) to carry on with its antitrust probe against the two.