Half Of Indian SMEs Prioritise Cloud For Business Expansion: Study

Fuelled by India's digital acceleration, small and medium enterprises are rapidly leveraging cloud for their competitive edge. A significant 58% of Indian SMEs believe they have a high level of digital maturity and are at the forefront of this ongoing digital shift.

In fiscal 2024, 50% of the surveyed SMEs are leveraging cloud for their business expansion, according to a study by Tata Tele Business Services and Cyber Media Research.

Below are the key highlights from the study:

Public Cloud Reigns Supreme: Over half (52%) of SMEs leverage the scalability and affordability that public cloud offers. One in five SMEs have successfully migrated more than 50% of their workload to the cloud, and 51% prioritise cloud for customer support.

Security First: A Key Cloud Driver For SMEs: Around 40% of SMEs nationwide prioritise enhanced security compliance as the main reason for adopting cloud, highlighting its role in business decisions. Regional alignment is strong, with Mumbai leading at 55%.

Futureproofing With Cloud Skills: Over one-third (36%) of SMEs are prioritising cloud skilling for their future cloud usage plans, and 48% of SMEs in North and East India are focusing on cloud skills.

SMEs Show Varied Adoption Of Emerging Tech: Healthcare (33% big data, 31% artificial intelligence) sees promise in improved patient care and faster drug discovery but struggles with data silos and skill gaps. IT/ITES leads in AI/machine learning (35%) for innovation, while banking, financial services and insurance (37% big data) leverages data analytics for insights.

Partnerships Power Cloud Success: SMEs are actively seeking trusted partners who can assist them in supporting them with their cloud expansion plans (39%) as well as in attaining cloud cost-effectiveness (37%).

“This study resonates with our business pulse, affirming that cloud technology presents an unparalleled opportunity for businesses to amplify agility, foster collaboration and gain a decisive competitive edge while enhancing the customer experience,” said Vishal Rally, senior vice president, product and marketing, Tata Teleservices.

Prabhu Ram, head, Industry Intelligence Group, Cyber Media Research, added, “Indian small and medium enterprises are rapidly leaning-in on cloud, leveraging its efficiency, reliability and adaptability to transform their businesses. Cloud adoption unlocks access to cutting-edge advancements like AI, empowering SMEs to compete and thrive.”