India’s entrepreneurial ecosystem took centerstage as ET NOW, a leading English business news channel, hosted the IDFC FIRST Bank Presents ET NOW Leaders of Tomorrow Awards Season 12 in New Delhi.

The prestigious event celebrated India’s most promising MSMEs and startups that are not only making an impact domestically but also expanding their footprint on the global stage.

With the theme “Powering Entrepreneurs for the Global Stage,” the event honoured enterprises that are redefining excellence across 14 competitive categories, alongside three IDFC FIRST Bank Rising Star Awards and four Editorial Awards. These winners were carefully selected through a rigorous national screening process and expert jury evaluation, ensuring that only the most outstanding businesses were recognized, the news network said in a press release.

Delivering the keynote address on ‘Empowering India’s MSMEs for Global Leadership,’ Anurag Singh Thakur, Former Union Minister and Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Coal, Mines & Steel, highlighted India’s remarkable economic journey.

“Over the past decade, India has transitioned from being part of the ‘Fragile Five’ to becoming one of the world’s top five economies. In the next three years, we are poised to become the third-largest economy globally. The government has actively supported MSMEs through financial reforms, ease of doing business initiatives, and credit programs like Mudra Loans and the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme. With over 1.6 lakh startups and 117 unicorns, India’s entrepreneurial spirit is thriving on the global stage,” he said.

Ashishkumar Chauhan, MD & CEO of NSE, emphasized how India’s expanding capital markets are empowering MSMEs explained, “India’s thriving capital market is an anomaly—typically, only wealthy nations develop strong investment ecosystems. However, with 11 crore registered investors and 21 crore accounts, India has become uniquely positioned to fund entrepreneurial dreams. MSMEs must harness the power of capital markets to enhance credibility, secure funding, and scale their businesses”.

Discussing the shifting global economy, Chauhan noted that India is emerging as a key player in a new multipolar world.

Chinmay Dhoble, Head of Retail Liabilities & Branch Banking at IDFC FIRST Bank, underscored the critical role of MSMEs in India’s economic landscape and said, “With 6.7 crore MSMEs contributing significantly to GDP and employment, their real potential lies in productivity and efficiency rather than just scale. While large corporations dominate in size, MSMEs drive job creation and innovation. However, they require tailored financial support, including access to funding, advisory services, and digital solutions”..

He also highlighted IDFC FIRST Bank’s commitment to MSME empowerment through zero-fee banking, AI-driven insights, and startup mentorship programs, all aimed at helping small businesses move up the value chain.

The event featured engaging panel discussions, uniting India’s leading entrepreneurs, investors, and policymakers to exchange ideas and inspire the next generation of business leaders.