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The Maharashtra Industries & SME Summit, themed “Sustainable Industrial Growth of the State to March Towards VIKSIT BHARAT,” was held on March 5, 2025, at Hotel Sofitel, BKC, Mumbai, marking a significant step toward fostering industrial and economic development in Maharashtra. the summit brought together industry leaders, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and innovators to discuss strategies for sustainable growth, entrepreneurial leadership, and the transformation of Maharashtra into an industrial powerhouse.
The Maharashtra Industries & SME Summit highlighted the collective resolve to drive sustainable industrial growth and entrepreneurial leadership, aligning with the vision of a developed India. With participation from industry stalwarts and government dignitaries, the event reinforced Maharashtra’s pivotal role in shaping the nation’s economic future.
Shri Chandrakant Salunkhe, Founder and President of Maharashtra Industry Development Association and SME Chamber of India, delivered an introductory address, outlining the vision of the summit and its alignment with the national goal of VIKSIT BHARAT.
This was followed by the inauguration of the Summit by Hon’ble Industries Minister, Government of of Maharashtra Shri Uday Samant he shared key insights that during the Advantage Vidarbha event in Nagpur, industrialist Shri Sajjan Jindal Chairman of JSW Group expressed the need for a huge parcel of industrial land to establish a steel manufacturing factory. The Industries Department of Maharashtra not only assured the provision of the requested land but also committed to providing an additional 5,000 acres to create an ecosystem for MSMEs to manufacture products and support the steel industry.
Hon’ble Minister further highlighted that during the Davos Summit, Maharashtra has secured investments worth Rs 15.70 lakh crore, emphasizing that such investments are feasible only when a robust ecosystem is in place in the state. He also cited the example of Coca-Cola, which planned to set up a Rs 3,500 crore facility in Ratnagiri. He stressed that ancillary sectors, such as packaging, should be allocated to local MSMEs & manufacturing enterprises so as to foster business Growth.
Shri Samant highlighted that Maharashtra has the highest number of MSMEs in the country and expressed his intent to know and investigate the exact count of MSMEs, as well as how many SMEs have shut down and how many are operational. He urged Mr. Chandrakant Salunkhe, President – Maharashtra Industry Development Association to bring large corporations and business houses such as L&T, Adani, and Shapoorji Pallonji—onto a unified platform to empower and develop the MSME sector in Maharashtra.
Addressing challenges of SME entrepreneurs, he emphasized the importance of maintaining law and order, pointing out that unrest often stems from local people not being employed and the high cost of industrial land. He reassured entrepreneurs that they should boldly file police complaints in case of issues with labour unions, assuring them that the government would handle and resolve such matters without fear.
Following the Industries Ministers address Shri Bhadresh Pathak, Chief Executive of L&T-SuFin, Larsen & Toubro Ltd, gave an insightful presentation on “Creating Efficiencies in Industrial B2B Trade Through a Digital Marketplace,” highlighting the role of technology in streamlining industrial trade then Shri Praveen Pardeshi, CEO of Maharashtra Institution for Transformation (MITRA), delivered the keynote address titled “Transforming Maharashtra for Industrial & Economic Development for Marching Towards VIKSIT BHARAT,” emphasizing the state’s roadmap for progress.
