Indian SME Family Business Trade Confidence and Internationalization Report – April 2026
April 24, 2026
Abstract
This report presents findings from the first wave of the SPJIMR Centre for Family Business & Entrepreneurship (CFBE) Trade Confidence and Internationalisation Survey conducted across 461 respondents representing Indian SMEs, primarily family-owned enterprises, in 14 Indian cities. The report develops a four-index architecture comprising the Trade Confidence Index (TCI), Risk Environment Index (REI), Risk Momentum Index (RMI), and Family Governance Risk Index (FGRI) to assess export outlook, risk perceptions, governance tensions, and internationalisation strategies among Indian SME exporters. The findings reveal strong export optimism coexisting with an increasingly adverse and deteriorating risk environment shaped by tariffs, geopolitical instability, supply-chain disruptions, trade finance constraints, and family-governance pressures. The report also documents risk-mitigation strategies, institutional support gaps, FTA awareness deficits, and policy priorities relevant to strengthening India’s SME export ecosystem.
Keywords: SMEs, family business, international trade, export confidence, trade finance, family governance, tariffs, supply chains, internationalisation, risk perception, trade policy, India
Suggested Citation:
Jayakumar, T. (2026). Indian SME Family Business Trade Confidence and Internationalization Report – April 2026. SPJIMR Paper Series, RR-2026-01.
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