• The upcoming festive season and the recent US tariff hike have renewed the push for India’s Swadeshi movement, i.e., Vocal for Local initiative, thereby encouraging a stronger domestic market for MSMEs.

• To support this further, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) is launching its ‘Indian Goods – Our Pride’ campaign to promote indigenous products.

• This is aimed at supporting local businesses, sustaining livelihoods, preserving the nation’s cultural heritage, and strengthening the economy.

• Additionally, amidst the ongoing tariffs saga, MSMEs should also consider exporting their high-quality products to newer international markets with favorable trade conditions. This can be done through diversified sales channels, leveraging national campaigns, and strategic collaborations.

With the festive and wedding season approaching, India is entering a period of heightened consumer activity and domestic spending. Seasonal spending is projected to grow by 8–10% year‑on‑year¹, particularly across segments such as home décor, apparel, jewelry, gourmet foods, and lifestyle products. Corporate gifting further expands this demand with buyers increasingly seeking distinctive, high-quality, Indian-made products during this period. MSMEs are well-positioned to serve this need, especially given their customization capabilities and product craftsmanship.  

However, recent developments in international trade agreements, tariffs, and global supply chain shifts are expected to impact MSME exporters. In response, the Government of India has renewed its call to prioritize indigenous goods—not only to support local businesses but also to ease pressure on MSME exporters. This has given fresh momentum to the Vocal for Local initiative, encouraging buyers to choose Indian-made products. This is additionally supported by, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) will launch a nationwide campaign from August 10, titled “Indian Goods – Our Pride”, to promote indigenous goods across consumer segments. 

By tapping into these opportunities, MSMEs can strengthen domestic revenues while also exploring newer global markets—particularly those with favorable bilateral trade conditions, lower tariffs, and simplified access, such as Southeast Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. This reflects a larger shift—one where MSMEs that adopt a dual-market approach are better positioned to balance risk, build resilience, and accelerate long-term growth. 

Advantages of Buying Indian  

The call to prioritize Indian goods is rooted in clear economic and social benefits, including:  

1. Protecting Local Businesses 

The presence of large foreign companies prove to be a challenge for small Indian traders to compete due to the pricing structures and reduced profit margins. The recent US tariff hike adds another challenge, as it directly increases costs for MSME exporters, squeezing profitability and making it harder to maintain competitiveness in overseas markets. 

2. Matching Global Quality Standards  

Indian manufacturing has advanced significantly in recent years. Many products now match or even surpass global quality benchmarks while remaining competitively priced. From textiles to handicrafts or precision engineering goods, MSMEs have proven they can meet the expectations of quality-conscious buyers. 

3. Supporting Livelihoods Across the Value Chain 

Every purchase of Indian goods sustains a network of workers and service providers. This includes local artisans, traders, logistics providers, packaging suppliers, warehouse operators, and many others whose contributions often remain unseen but are vital to the economy. 

4. Reducing the Trade Deficit 

Excessive reliance on imported goods widens India’s trade deficit, placing additional pressure on foreign exchange reserves. Buying Indian products helps reduce this gap, ensuring that more value is retained and circulated within the domestic economy. 

5. Preserving Heritage and Craftsmanship 

India’s diverse heritage of handloom, cottage industries, handicrafts, and artisanal work reflects its cultural and identity and contributes significantly to the country’s economy. These traditions have been kept alive largely through domestic and international demand, and community-level skill transmission. Several cultural advocates, creative entrepreneurs, and institutions have stepped in to reposition traditional crafts in contemporary, relatable ways to modern consumers. 

Supporting Indian-made goods that carry forward these traditions ensures that India’s rich craft ecosystems do not just survive, but continue to evolve and thrive.  

Strategies to Capture the Domestic Festive Market & Newer International Markets 

To make the most of this opportunity, MSME exporters need clear positioning and strategic outreach. 

1. Positioning and Branding 
   Indian MSMEs who sell high-quality goods should definitely pay close attention to branding and positioning their products in a manner that appeals to a specific segment of buyers that they aim to target. One such example is to position their products as “high-export-quality, Indian-made goods.” This could be clubbed with relevant content that talks about how they offer products that support the local community and by buying it, they are not just bringing in a product but a piece of heritage.

2. Pricing Strategy 
   Adopt value‑based pricing. Domestic premium buyers are willing to pay for quality if it is clearly communicated and appropriately priced. Prices should also reflect the hard work thats put into it and Price competitiveness should not come at the cost of brand perception.

3. Sales Channels 
   A large part of consumers shop on various ecommerce platforms or online. Its important for business to look beyond traditional retail and leverage e‑commerce marketplaces, festive fairs, B2B gifting platforms, and pop‑up experiences in high‑footfall areas.

4. Leverage the ‘Indian Goods – Our Pride’ Campaign 
   This campaign is aimed to generate nationwide awareness about buying Indian products. MSMEs can align their marketing efforts with this sentiment—integrating the slogan, using campaign visuals, and running promotions that resonate with the theme. 

5. Collaborations 
   Influencer Marketing works quite well and this is also something that MSMEs can explore. Collaborative content on social media with partners or relevant brands, interior designers, wedding planners, etc. can widen their reach and increase visibility. These partnerships can bring products directly to high‑intent buyers. 

Establishing a strong presence using the above mentioned outlined strategies is not merely a short-term revenue initiative—it is a pathway to long-term, sustainable growth for MSMEs. Diversifying a customer base across multiple geographical regions enhances business resilience, protecting operations from unpredictable market shocks such as tariff changes, currency fluctuations, and shipping disruptions. Additionally, engaging with domestic buyers strengthens brand visibility and fosters loyalty, creating a trustworthy foundation at home while positioning MSMEs to attract international buyers through strong local references. This further contributes to the Indian economy by retaining and reinvesting value locally, creating a multiplier effect across sectors and benefiting businesses and workers alike.  

The festive and wedding seasons present MSME exporters with a timely opportunity to tap into a growing segment of quality-conscious Indian consumers eager to support locally-made products. By prioritizing domestic opportunities alongside international operations, MSME exporters can create highly resilient businesses that contribute meaningfully to India’s vision of becoming a global economic powerhouse.