Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved and commercially, viable process for the resolution of racemic cis milnacipran of formula I and its pharmaceutically acceptable salts of formula II. The present invention comprises using racemic cis milnacipran or its pharmaceutically acceptable salts as starting material, a low cost and commercially available resolving agent of formula III and industrially safe and economically low cost material such as water as a solvent. The said process results into optical isomers of racemic cis milnacipran having excellent optical purity without involving multiple crystallization steps. The present invention also comprises the concept of green chemistry as the invention works well with water as a solvent thereby minimizing the use of any other solvent.