Digitalizing Procurement: How India’s GeM Hit the ₹20 Lakh Crore Milestone

Since its launch on August 9, 2016, the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) has transformed India's public procurement ecosystem by replacing fragmented, paper-based processes with a unified, transparent, and digital-first platform. Today, GeM bridges more than 1.37 lakh government buyer entities with nearly 25 lakh registered sellers and service providers, driving cumulative transactions past ₹20 lakh crore ($210.03 billion). Featuring a vast catalog of over 10,660 product lines and 350 service categories—ranging from medical hardware and IT equipment to catering, logistics, and human resources—the platform has established itself as an indispensable tool for state purchasing. Beyond driving sheer scale, GeM serves as a major catalyst for socioeconomic inclusion by empowering smaller enterprises and underserved groups. In FY26 alone, over 11 lakh micro and small enterprises (MSEs) completed 51+ lakh orders worth more than ₹2.36 lakh crore ($24.78 billion), with significant allocations going to women-led businesses (over ₹28,000 crore), SC/ST-owned enterprises (exceeding ₹6,000 crore), and startups (crossing ₹19,000 crore). To further enhance grass-roots accessibility, GeM partnered with CSC e-Governance in June 2026 to pilot 50 GeM Suvidha Kendras for last-mile seller assistance. Backed by data-driven procurement analytics, seamless digital integrations, and expanding artificial intelligence capabilities, the ecosystem continues to elevate transparency, operational efficiency, and ease of doing business across the country. $TCS