Archive · 10 Aug 2026
GeM Completes 10 Years Transforming India's Public Procurement Landscape
Imagine a giant online shop where the Indian government buys everything it needs, from medicines to drones.
This shop is called GeM, which stands for Government e Marketplace.
It was started on August 9, 2016, by the Prime Minister, and it just turned 10 years old.
Before GeM, buying things for the government was confusing and unfair, and only a few big companies could take part.
GeM made it easy for anyone, including small shops and women-owned businesses, to sell to the government.
More than 1.37 lakh government offices shop here alongside over 25 lakh sellers.
Small businesses now make up about 60 out of every 100 orders placed on the platform.
The marketplace has done business worth about Rs 20 lakh crore in total.
Experts from IIT Delhi studied it and found it saved the country a huge amount of money.
GeM helps make sure taxpayer money is spent wisely and fairly.
Government e Marketplace (GeM), launched on August 9, 2016, marks 10 years of digital public procurement in India.
The platform connects 1.37 lakh government buyers with 25 lakh sellers and service providers.
GeM crossed Rs 5 lakh crore in annual Gross Merchandise Value in each of the last two financial years, reaching a cumulative value of about Rs 20 lakh crore.
Micro and small enterprises account for approximately 60 per cent of orders by volume and over 45 per cent of the GMV on the platform.
An IIT Delhi study (Jul-Aug 2026) estimated a monetised benefit of Rs 86,571.69 crore from GeM procurement over the last three financial years.
- Who
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched GeM in 2016; the article is written by India's Minister of Commerce and Industry celebrating the platform's 10th anniversary.
- What
- The Government e Marketplace (GeM), a digital platform for transparent and inclusive public procurement, completed 10 years of operation.
- When
- GeM was launched on August 9, 2016, and the milestone is being marked 10 years later.
- Where
- India.
- Why
- To make public procurement transparent, efficient and corruption-free while empowering startups, MSMEs, women entrepreneurs and small-town businesses.
- Platform
- Government e Marketplace (GeM)
- Launch date
- August 9, 2016
- Government buyers
- 1.37 lakh
- Sellers and service providers
- 25 lakh
- Annual GMV (last two financial years)
- Over Rs 5 lakh crore
- Cumulative GMV
- About Rs 20 lakh crore
- Categories
- 10,644 product categories; 350 service categories
- IIT Delhi study benefit
- Rs 86,571.69 crore over the last three financial years