Food processing converts agricultural produce into edible or semi-processed products, and in India the sector spans fruits, vegetables, cereals, dairy, meat, fisheries, packaged foods and beverages. Its policy importance lies in what it does to farm incomes: processing extends shelf life, reduces post-harvest loss and captures value that would otherwise be lost between the field and the consumer. That is why the roadmap's emphasis on integrated cold-chain networks matters more than the headline investment figure — the binding constraint in Indian food processing is usually storage and logistics rather than processing capacity itself. The inclusion of MSMEs and women's self-help groups reflects the sector's structure, since much food processing in India happens at small scale and employs women in disproportionate numbers. Note the distinction between the two instruments used here: MoUs are formal agreements recording intent to invest, while Investment Intent Forms are a lighter expression of interest, and neither is a completed investment.