Abstract
This study puts together a systematic review of the evolving social sustainability research landscape in manufacturing based MSMEs, with a specific focus on the Indian context, by means of a bibliometric review of 1135 Scopus indexed publications. The paper, adopting PRISMA guidelines and VOSviewer, identifies the main themes related to worker safety, gender equity, fair wages and community engagement. It utilizes emerging model such as Industry 5.0 and green entrepreneurship and addresses how social practices influence economic performance and growth. It is found that there are regional and thematic gaps, particularly in the field of mental health, employment ergonomics and notably in the Northeast India which is underrepresented. This study contributes by consolidating current knowledge and provides tools for practitioners in the context of alignment of local practice with global sustainability goals through proposing implementation frameworks. Based on the findings, future research is proposed for encouraging inclusive, resilient, and digitally empowered MSMEs in various sectors in India.