India : The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has reached a remarkable milestone by becoming the sole ministry to exceed the Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) of Rs 1 lakh crore in procurement through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) since its establishment in 2016.
- In the current fiscal year, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has placed orders worth approximately Rs 46,000 crore on GeM as of February 13, 2024. This marks a significant increase from the order value of Rs 28,732.90 crore in FY 2022-23 and Rs 15,091.30 crore in FY 2021-22, demonstrating a growth of over sixty percent from the previous financial year. This surge underscores MoD’s persistent efforts and commitment to leveraging the GeM platform for its procurement activities.
- With over 19,800 defence buyers nationwide, GeM has facilitated more than 5.47 lakh orders. Notably, about 50% of these orders were awarded to Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs), aligning with the principle of promoting social inclusion in public procurement and supporting India’s economic self-reliance.
- GeM, envisioned by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, is an online platform for public procurement in India. Launched on August 9, 2016, by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, GeM aims to create an inclusive, efficient, and transparent marketplace for buyers and sellers to conduct procurement activities in a fair and competitive manner.
- This milestone reflects the concerted efforts of MoD, Armed Forces, PSUs, Defence industry, and research institutions. It not only celebrates the success of the GeM platform but also underscores MoD’s commitment to enhancing national defence capabilities and fostering India’s prosperity.