GeM Boosts MSME Participation and Strengthens Transparency in Government Procurement

Government e-Marketplace (GeM) is expanding the participation of MSMEs, startups, women entrepreneurs and Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in public procurement. As of July 30, 2026, the platform had 11.75 lakh MSMEs, 37,758 startups, 2.17 lakh women entrepreneurs and 3,784 SHGs registered. MSME procurement through GeM rose to ₹2.37 lakh crore in FY2025-26 from ₹59,033 crore in FY2021-22, while the platform’s total order value reached ₹5.03 lakh crore, with MSMEs contributing 47.2%. This growing participation is giving smaller businesses greater access to government procurement opportunities nationwide. GeM is also using Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to improve transparency and detect irregularities such as abnormal pricing, order splitting, buyer-seller collusion and suspicious bidding patterns. During FY2025-26, the platform reported 1,81,035 incidents and suspended 55,772 sellers for violations including incorrect product categorisation, excessive pricing, delivery delays and contract non-compliance. Under its Incident Management framework, proven anti-competitive practices or cartel formation can lead to suspensions of up to 365 days, strengthening procurement integrity and confidence in India’s digital public procurement ecosystem. $BEL