With Walmart Vriddhi Supplier Development Program, India′s micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) now have an opportunity to embark on interactive online training experiences and personalised mentoring, with access to resources and experts to support growth.

"This supports the goals of Digital India by providing MSMEs with the tools to adopt new technologies to expand their business," the release said. The Walmart Vriddhi Program was launched by Walmart Inc. in December 2019 with the aim to empower 50,000 Indian MSMEs to "Make in India" for domestic and global supply chains.

Following the COVID-19 outbreak, the company stated that the program was reshaped to emphasise digital experiences, and this allowed it to be rolled out to more MSMEs.

"In the future, it will offer a mix of digital and in-person training, mentoring and network experiences via physical Vriddhi Institutes when conditions are favorable," the company added.

"Walmart Vriddhi opens up opportunities for MSMEs to sell into Walmart′s supply chains or the open marketplace. Wherever they are in their journey and whatever their aspirations for growth, that openness makes the program unique and puts the supplier at the center of everything we do," Judith McKenna, president and CEO of Walmart International, said.

Kalyan Krishnamurthy, Chief Executive Officer, Flipkart Group stated, "As India adjusts to the ′new normal,′ digital transformation is a path to resilience for businesses. In concert with the government′s Digital India initiative, we want to help Indian MSMEs digitize so they can react to market trends and challenges with speed and agility, better serve their customers and grow their business. Flipkart and Walmart are working together on Vriddhi and other programs to make a real difference for MSMEs and to contribute to sustained economic growth for India."