The Department of Consumer Affairs (DoCA) on Wednesday said that it is pushing for better quality standards in trade and manufacturing to make Indian products more competitive globally.

Speaking to IANS on the sidelines of the ‘Bharat Quality Mission’ event here, Nidhi Khare, Secretary of DoCA which is under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, highlighted the importance of quality in both exports and the domestic market.

She said that in any sector, whether it's trade or commerce, being globally competitive is essential.

"We must understand that for any sector, be it trade or commerce, being globally competitive is essential and therefore, adherence to quality is fundamental,” Khare told IANS.

For this, maintaining high quality is a must. "Consumers today expect assurance of good quality products. It’s not just about exports; even for our domestic market, quality matters," Khare noted.

Since a large part of India’s manufacturing sector is driven by micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), the government is focusing on working closely with them.

“Assurance of good quality is not only important for exports but also for the domestic market. As consumers, people expect the assurance of high-quality products," Khare said.

"Since MSMEs are major manufacturers in our country, we have initiated close engagement with them to understand their challenges and address any grievances they may have," she mentioned.

Khare further said that they are actively engaging with MSMEs to understand their challenges and resolve any issues related to quality standards.

"Ultimately, any nation which rises has to ensure credibility of its goods and services. There cannot be any abstinence or there cannot be any free passes to the concern of quality," she stated.

The ‘Bharat Quality Mission’ event saw participation from several MSME stakeholders and industry associations. The aim was to create awareness about quality assurance and to encourage industries to adopt higher standards for better growth and consumer trust.