Ministry of MSME’s TEAM Initiative Brings End-to-End Digital Commerce Support to 5 Lakh Micro and Small Enterprises via ONDC

What Happened

• The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises is implementing the Trade Enablement and Access to Market (TEAM) Initiative, a sub-scheme under the World Bank-supported Raising and Accelerating MSME Performance (RAMP) programme.
• The initiative targets the onboarding of 5 lakh (500,000) Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) onto the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), with at least 2.5 lakh (250,000) of the target enterprises to be women-owned.
• End-to-end digital commerce support is provided, covering ONDC onboarding, digital cataloguing, account management, logistics coordination, and packaging assistance.
• The National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC) is designated as the implementing agency for the scheme.
• Outreach activities are prioritised in Tier-II and Tier-III cities to ensure geographic inclusion beyond metropolitan centres.

Static Topic Bridges

MSME Sector in India — Structure and Significance

Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises are defined under the MSMED Act, 2006, as amended in 2020, based on annual turnover and investment in plant and machinery or equipment thresholds. The 2020 revision removed the distinction between manufacturing and services MSMEs and introduced composite criteria. MSMEs contribute approximately 30% to India's GDP, account for over 45% of total exports, and employ an estimated 11 crore (110 million) people — making the sector the largest non-farm employer in the country. Digital integration of MSMEs is central to India's goals of formalising the economy, improving credit access, and enabling export competitiveness.

Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) — Architecture and Significance

The Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) is an initiative by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce, operationalised from 2022. Unlike platform-based e-commerce models (where buyers and sellers must use the same platform), ONDC uses an open protocol architecture — the Beckn Protocol — that enables any buyer-side application to transact with any seller-side application across the network. This "network of networks" model is designed to democratise digital commerce by reducing dependence on dominant marketplace platforms and lowering entry barriers for small sellers. ONDC standardises core transaction functions: product discovery, cataloguing, order management, payment, and fulfilment.

RAMP Programme — World Bank Partnership and Design

The Raising and Accelerating MSME Performance (RAMP) programme is a Central Sector Scheme implemented by the Ministry of MSME, supported by a World Bank loan, for the period 2022-23 to 2026-27. RAMP aims to improve MSME access to markets, finance, and technology by strengthening the implementation capacity of existing MoMSME schemes. The TEAM Initiative is a sub-scheme nested within RAMP, focusing specifically on digital commerce and market access. World Bank–supported schemes of this type operate through a co-financing model where the loan is tied to measurable development objectives and disbursement-linked indicators, increasing accountability in scheme implementation.

Key Facts & Data

• Target beneficiaries under TEAM: 5 lakh (500,000) Micro and Small Enterprises
• Women-owned enterprise target: 2.5 lakh (250,000) of the 5 lakh total
• Implementing agency: National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC)
• Parent programme: RAMP (Raising and Accelerating MSME Performance), 2022-23 to 2026-27
• RAMP supported by: World Bank
• ONDC launched by: DPIIT (Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade)
• ONDC protocol: Beckn Protocol (open, interoperable)
• ONDC operationalised: 2022
• MSMED Act revised: 2020 (composite investment + turnover thresholds)
• MSMEs: ~30% of GDP, >45% of exports, ~11 crore employment
• TEAM support services: ONDC onboarding, digital cataloguing, logistics, packaging, account management