India Joins BRICS Centre for Industrial Competencies

India formally joined the BRICS Centre for Industrial Competencies (BCIC) in an event organised by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry.

Purpose of the Centre:

The BCIC acts as a one-stop centre providing integrated support services to manufacturing firms and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) across BRICS economies, with an emphasis on modern industrial competencies including Industry 4.0 technologies.

Institutional Framework:

The National Productivity Council (NPC) has been designated as the India Centre for BRICS Industrial Competencies and will lead India’s engagement with BCIC.

A Trust Fund Agreement was signed between DPIIT and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) to formalise India’s participation.

The initiative focuses on capacity building, productivity enhancement and adoption of advanced manufacturing practices.

About BRICS and BCIC

BRICS is a major intergovernmental bloc originally consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

BRICS Centre for Industrial Competencies was launched in partnership with UNIDO to promote industrial cooperation across member countries, focusing on SMEs, digital transformation and smart manufacturing.

The Centre aims to build Industry 4.0 competencies — such as automation, digitalisation, AI integration, and advanced manufacturing skills — which are critical for competitiveness in global manufacturing.

Role of MSMEs

MSMEs are a key driver of employment and economic growth in India, contributing around 30% of GDP and employing over 110 million people. Participation in BCIC is expected to help Indian MSMEs adopt best practices, improve productivity and access global networks.

Strengthening MSMEs aligns with India’s broader economic goals such as the Make in India initiative and the push to increase manufacturing’s share of GDP. (General economic strategy background)

Industry 4.0 & Global Value Chains

Industry 4.0 refers to the integration of cyber-physical systems, automation, IoT and data analytics in manufacturing to enhance efficiency, productivity and flexibility.

Participation in BCIC allows Indian industries to benchmark with global standards and upgrade technological capabilities, which is critical for integration into global value chains (GVCs). (General industry context)

BRICS in Global Context

BRICS collectively represents a significant portion of the world’s population, GDP and trade, making cooperation within the bloc strategically important for emerging economies.

The grouping has been expanding its outreach and partnerships with other countries, making initiatives like the BCIC important tools for economic diplomacy and multilateral cooperation.