World MSME Day is being observed today, in June, a month that has increasingly come to symbolise the growing intensity of India's heatwaves. For the country's MSMEs, extreme heat is no longer a seasonal inconvenience but a serious operational risk, disrupting production, lowering productivity and raising costs. A critical economic challenge, driven by escalating climate events, requires urgent attention from both policymakers and industry.
Recent research reports by WRI India and HeatWatch have revealed how extreme heat is impacting the lives of MSME factory workers in India. Heatwaves disrupt production, damage assets, affect workers, interrupt supply chains and reduce profits. Smaller enterprises are especially vulnerable because they often lack financial resources, insurance coverage, and technical expertise to prepare for climate shocks.
