India's business reforms need shift focus . From ease and cost to speed,says R. Mukundan,new president of Confederation of Indian Industry. Mukundan noted private sector is boosting investments,contrary to what some government officials claim .
"We need more reform," Mukundan said. He's also Managing Director and CEO of Tata Chemicals . He pushed for faster business processes — months to weeks,weeks to days.
Mukundan pointed out "friction points" in bureaucratic processes. Like land allocation — often delayed by slow demarcation. Without it,you can't even build a boundary wall. Reforms should target both ease and speed of business.
He questioned why India's agricultural exports don't match Netherlands',the second-largest exporter globally. India should aim for more competitiveness here.
With West Asia crisis ongoing,Mukundan stressed keeping MSMEs resilient . Current energy issues show supply chain links. "Some small company may supply a component. But if gas supply is cut,your production stops," he said. Support systems needed for these businesses.
Infrastructure upgrades also matter,especially at transport transfer points. Mukundan said while overall infrastructure is okay,handovers cause delays. "Why should it take 24 hours to move food from Jammu and Kashmir to a ship in Bombay?" he asked. High friction here can delay transport up to a week.
Despite criticisms from Chief Economic Adviser V. Anantha Nageswaran about post-COVID profit surges without investment hikes,Mukundan sees it differently. He cited rising private investment data,believing it will soon show.
"Public investment actually draws in private investment," Mukundan claimed. Government initiatives have driven private sector growth. He showed net fixed assets by private companies in India jumped from ₹0.5 lakh crore in September 2020 to ₹6.9 lakh crore by September 2025,with 71.7% annual growth.
"Many committed investments will come on stream soon," Mukundan said. He acknowledged manufacturing growth needs to continue but is confident rising investments will soon be visible. Will they really?…
