When small is big business: ISF, Amazon join hands to drive BIS compliance awareness across India

Bengaluru: In a landmark initiative that underscores the power of collaboration for inclusive growth, India SME Forum (ISF), in association with the Ministry of MSME, Government of India, has launched a nationwide campaign in partnership with Amazon India to educate and empower small and medium enterprises on BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) compliance.

Amid growing conversations around the need for regulatory awareness among India’s vibrant MSME sector, this initiative arrives as a timely and much-needed intervention.

Recent news reports have highlighted critical gaps in seller education regarding mandatory standards. Rising to the challenge, the Forum for Internet Retailers, Sellers and Traders (FIRST) — the B2C arm of ISF — is taking proactive steps to bridge the knowledge divide.

From compliance confusion to clarity

Through a series of structured engagements — interactive workshops, sectoral webinars, educational films, short video explainers, and on-ground support — the campaign aims to simplify the complexities of BIS compliance.

A dedicated helpline will offer real-time guidance, ensuring that no seller is left behind in India’s journey toward safer, more transparent e-commerce practices.

Vinod Kumar, President of India SME Forum, emphasized the initiative’s long-term vision:

“Our aim is to enable small businesses to thrive with the right knowledge, tools, and transparency. We welcome the partnership by Amazon India to educate our members on the necessary formalities. These sessions are an opportunity to foster greater understanding between sellers, industry leaders, and regulators.”

Echoing this commitment, Amit Nanda, Director of Selling Partner Services at Amazon India, added:

“We are committed to enabling sellers on Amazon.in to provide compliant and safe products to end customers. We are happy to work with ISF to organize these sessions over the next few months for their members.”

‘Enterprise matters’: A national conversation

At the heart of this initiative is Enterprise Matters, a platform for debates, discussions, and dialogues around the most pressing issues faced by MSMEs.

Under the leadership of Vinod Kumar, the sectoral webinar series will unite industry veterans, policy makers, and business owners to deliberate on regulatory best practices, safety standards, and the importance of trust in customer-facing businesses.

These sessions won’t just be confined to closed-door discussions. Streamed live on ISF’s Facebook and YouTube channels, the campaign ensures maximum outreach — empowering lakhs of sellers, entrepreneurs, and even budding startups across India with critical knowledge at their fingertips.

Strengthening India’s digital commerce backbone

By nurturing a collaborative ecosystem between sellers, regulators, and technology platforms, this campaign goes beyond compliance.

It seeks to build a new narrative — where MSMEs are not just survivors of policy change but champions of responsible business practices in an evolving digital economy.

As India strides forward in its digital commerce journey, this initiative is a vital step toward making MSMEs future-ready, informed, and compliant.