Off message on FDI

The Bharatiya Janata Party's stand on foreign direct investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail as expressed in its election manifesto put various industry bodies, many of whose members are fervent Narendra Modi supporters, in an uncomfortable position. Though almost all of these associations went all out in praise of the BJP's economic manifesto, a couple expressed hope that the party would re-consider this particular decision. One leading industry body suggested more government-industry dialogue over this issue in an initial draft of its press release commenting on the manifesto. Maybe it's a sign of the power politicians continue to wield over business in India but the association's final release preferred to omit all mention of the issue. In fact, alone among the major industry associations, the release did not even mention the FDI word at all.