Role of small and medium enterprises in the contemporary anticorruption discourse in India

Corruption is plainly deleterious to the enterprises and corrosive to economies. It is widespread in India. India is ranked 85 out of 175 countries in Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index 2014. A number of steps are being initiated to combat the corruption in India. There has been global recognition of the valuable role that the private sector can play and must play in addressing corruption. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are identified as one of the growth engines for various countries in the world. SMEs are vulnerable to the threat of corruption. More than 70% of SMEs perceive corruption as an impediment to their business. This paper examines the various aspects of corruption and its challenges for SMEs and their role in combating the same.