Competitive chambers of India

The fourth-quarter and full-year GDP figures released last week were expected to be disappointing and provide a chance for industry chambers to call strongly for reforms. Sure enough, the two leading chambers of commerce were off the mark. The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry sent invitations for a press conference on Monday on the Indian economy a week ahead of the GDP data release. Then the Confederation of Indian Industry sprang into action and announced a press conference on the same theme but a day after the data was released. The timing may have reflected chamber rivalry but the content of both conferences were the same.