India joined the BRICS Centre for Industrial Competencies (BCIC) at an event organised by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) at Vanijya Bhavan in New Delhi. The BCIC, launched in partnership with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), will serve as a one-stop centre providing integrated support services to manufacturing companies and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) across BRICS countries with a focus on strengthening Industry 4.0 competencies.

A trust fund agreement was signed between DPIIT and UNIDO and was executed by the economic adviser Agrim Kaushal and the UNIDO director Cristiano Pasini, formalising India’s participation in the BCIC framework. The National Productivity Council (NPC) has been designated as the India Centre for BRICS Industrial Competencies and, under the policy guidance of DPIIT and with technical support from UNIDO, will spearhead India’s engagement with BCIC to contribute to capacity building, productivity enhancement and adoption of advanced manufacturing practices.

The event was presided over by the secretary of DPIIT Amardeep Singh Bhatia and was attended by the director general of NPC Neerja Sekhar along with senior officials from DPIIT, the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, the Ministry of External Affairs, representatives from UNIDO and the industry partner the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). Participants noted that the initiative aligns with broader efforts to modernise manufacturing ecosystems and to support MSMEs in adopting new technologies and improving competitiveness.

Through the BCIC, stakeholders will have access to training, technical assistance and platforms for knowledge exchange aimed at accelerating Industry 4.0 adoption and improving operational efficiencies. The NPC is expected to coordinate national programmes, to promote best practices and to facilitate collaboration between public and private stakeholders across BRICS. The trust fund established under the agreement will finance capacity building activities and pilot projects designed to enhance productivity and resilience in the manufacturing sector over the medium term.