MSMEs form the basis of the self-employment industry in India. In addition to aiding an effective redistribution of income and resources, they contribute to the large-scale employment of people from marginalised communities. Despite the scholarly push to rejuvenate the MSME industry, government action has been inadequate and several logistical, managerial and financial challenges still persist, hindering the growth of this industry and preventing them from unlocking their complete potential. West Bengal is one such state where, despite an overwhelming portion of the industrial work being done by MSMEs, their operations in most parts of the state are not Pareto-optimal. This article explores the challenges faced by MSMEs in West Bengal through the epistemological framework of complex systems thinking and a causal-loop analysis