Page 3 - Cii

EY India Chairman and CEO Rajiv Memani takes over as CII president

The newly constituted National Council of the Confederation of Indian Industry at a meeting elected its new office bearers for the year 2025-26, CII said

EY India Chairman Rajiv Memani takes over as CII President for FY26

Ernst & Young (EY) India's Chairman and CEO Rajiv Memani has assumed office as the President of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) for 2025-26, the industry lobby said on Sunday. He takes over from Sanjiv Puri, Chairman & Managing Director of ITC Ltd. Memani is also a member of EY Global Executive Board as the Chair of its Growth Markets Council. R Mukundan, Managing Director & CEO of Tata Chemicals Ltd took over as CII President-Designate for 2025-26. Mukundan joined Tata Administrative Service in 1990, after completion of MBA from FMS, Delhi University. He is a distinguished alumnus of IIT, Roorkee; Fellow of Indian Chemical Society and an alumnus of Harvard Business School. Suchitra K Ella, Co-founder and Managing Director, Bharat Biotech International Ltd took over as CII Vice President for 2025-26. She was instrumental in founding Bharat Biotech way back in 1996.

FDI hits $81 billion in 2024-25, highest in three years: DPIIT Secretary

Foreign direct investments (FDI) in the country rose to a three-year high of USD 81 billion in 2024-25 and are expected to grow further, a top government official said on Thursday. Amardeep Singh Bhatia, Secretary of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), said that increased investments by Indian industry in other countries demonstrate the fact that they are realising they have to grow. "They not only need to be focussed internally, they also need to acquire technology, need to secure resources and gain greater market access in other countries," he said here at a CII event. Bhatia said that the free trade agreements that India is signing will provide opportunities for all businesses. The production-linked incentive schemes for sectors like electronics are helping to boost manufacturing. He urged the industry to look beyond the uncertainties, which are short-term in nature, and rather adopt a longer-term horizon to truly capitalize on the emerging ...

Sunil Mittal urges industry to adopt 'India-first' focus on talent, R&D

Bharti Group Chairman Sunil Mittal on Thursday exhorted the industry to prioritise an 'India-first' approach, rising above individual or sectoral interests to contribute to nation-building as the telecom sector doyen advocated prioritising of talent dividend, stepping up R&D, trade reset and a collaborative framework between industry and government. Speaking at the CII Annual Business Summit 2025, Mittal also advised companies to emulate the 'Tata' mould of trust as he highlighted the respect commanded by the 'house of Tatas'. Citing the progress made towards trade pacts between India and key nations, Mittal exuded confidence that the government will safeguard industry's interests in trade agreements, but asserted at the same time, that it is important that the "industry and chambers don't ask for things which will make FTAs difficult". Stating that lakhs of crores are stuck in litigation around direct taxes, indirect taxes, and other regulatory matters, the industry stalwart said

NITI Aayog's Chand outlines 5 priority areas to lower carbon footprint

Ramesh Chand outlines a five-point agenda to cut agriculture's carbon footprint, urging policy reform in pricing, input efficiency and climate-suitable cropping

India will become world's data capital in next five years: Scindia

India is set to become the data capital of the world over the next five years, Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said on Thursday. Speaking at the CII Annual Business Summit 2025, Scindia said India is seen as a digital-first economy across the world. Leading this digital-first economy is the telecom revolution. "India, I believe, in the next five years, will become the data capital of the world," Scindia said. The minister said that the telecom subscriber base has jumped from 800 million a decade ago to a level where India is now the second largest mobile market with 1.2 billion subscribers. The broadband user base has grown to 940 million, he added. At the same time, the connectivity costs and handset prices have fallen drastically, Scindia said, recalling the days when tariffs were as high as Rs 16 per minute. "When we talk about data, 11 years ago, 1 GB of data would cost you Rs 287. Today, 1 GB of data costs you Rs 9. There is a 97 per cent reduction in the cost of ...

FDI inflows set to grow further, says DPIIT secretary at CII summit

DPIIT Secretary Amardeep Singh Bhatia says FDI will grow as investor interest remains high, driven by policy support, trade pacts and India's growth momentum

CII urges govt to establish centralised oversight mechanism for tribunals

CII recommends amending Tribunal Reforms Act to create a statutory central oversight body for performance, appointments, and governance across tribunals

CII bats for central oversight body to reform India's tribunal system

Establishing a centralised oversight institution for tribunals would significantly enhance India's justice delivery system, making it more responsive and efficient, industry body CII said on Sunday. This move would also boost regulatory credibility, improve ease of doing business, and increase investor confidence, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) added. To provide legislative backing to this exercise, suitable amendments may be introduced in the Tribunals Reforms Act, 2021, defining the mandate, structure, scope, and responsibilities, according to CII. Such a central body could undertake functions like performance monitoring, data tracking, coordination with the Search-Cum-Selection Committees, capacity building, and independent grievance redressal, it suggested. The industry lobby argued that the administrative control of tribunals is currently fragmented across various ministries and departments, leading to a lack of standardisation and functional inconsistencies. Enhancin

CII seeks GST rationalisation, lower import duties for MCE sector

A CII-Kearney report urges changes to GST and import duties to improve cost competitiveness and transform India's MCE sector into a globally competitive industry

Indian economy projected to grow at 6.5% in FY26, says CII president

India's GDP is projected to grow at 6.5 per cent in the current fiscal and the country's economy is resilient enough to overcome the short-term impact of geopolitical issues, CII president Sanjiv Puri has said. In an interview with PTI, he asserted that the country must pursue bilateral trade pacts with key trading partners to protect national interests in the backdrop of increasing trade barriers. Highlighting that the private investment is picking up across various sectors like energy, transportation, metals, chemicals and hospitality, Puri said the current geopolitical uncertainties could lead to "some cautiousness" in investment. On the economic growth projection for India, he said, "We are looking at 6.5 per cent. We believe this number can be achieved fundamentally, because the fact is, we are starting with a reasonably good foundation, robust economic foundation". Elaborating on the reasons, he said, "In the recent past, interest rates have eased. Inflation is becoming benig

India right to act against Pak-based terrorists, industry backs govt: CII

India has done the right thing to punish Pakistan-based terrorists who killed innocent citizens and the industry stands firmly behind the government, committed to doing what is required to ensure that the country's economic progress sustains, according to CII President Sanjiv Puri. The military conflict between India and Pakistan in the aftermath of the killing of 26 people in Pahalgam last month is a moment to "rededicate ourselves and re-energise ourselves towards nation building", including enhancing India's defence manufacturing capabilities and capacities, Puri told PTI in an interview. "What the government is doing is absolutely the right thing to do. The idea is really aligned to what the government has always said 'to punish those responsible for terrorism' and nothing can justify killing of innocent citizens. So those people responsible must be punished," Puri, who is also the MD of ITC, said. Puri was responding to a query on what would the industry like the government to

CII extends unequivocal support to govt, Armed Forces on Operation Sindoor

Extending unequivocal support to the government and Armed Forces on Operation Sindoor, industry body CII on Friday said India's response to the reprehensible terrorist attack at Pahalgam is a reminder that the country will protect its 140 crore citizens. Emphasising that national peace and security is the "bedrock of sustainable economic growth", the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) said the "swift counteraction" led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi reassures businesses and investors that India remains a resilient and secure destination for economic activity. India on Wednesday carried out strikes on nine sites in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Pakistan, marking its deepest strikes inside Pakistan in decades in retaliation for a deadly terrorist attack two weeks before. Thereafter, Pakistan attempted to unleash drones and missiles at Indian military targets in more than a dozen cities and towns, many of them home to air force bases. The Indian Army said the attacks were ...

CII releases guidebook on adoption, governance of AI for board leaders

Industry body CII has released a 'guidebook on effective adoption and governance of AI for board leaders', amid the rising use of Artificial Intelligence in businesses and the essential role of board engagement in supporting effective and meaningful AI governance. AI requires careful governance to fully harness its potential while mitigating the risks and challenges it presents, CII said in a release, adding that the guidebook aims to serve as an effective tool for the board of directors to navigate the intricate landscape of AI governance and drive better business outcomes. It encompasses basic concepts related to AI, its use in various business functions, criticality of AI governance and its framework, risks and challenges and its governance and liabilities of directors associated with deployment of AI in businesses. It outlines the essential role of board engagement in supporting effective and meaningful AI governance, and underlines the importance of aligning strategies with ...

Stronger judicial data grid can boost investments, says CII report

The NJDG was launched in 2015 under the e-Courts Mission Mode Project to track, manage and reduce case pendency across India's judicial system

Rank states based on case-clearance rate for faster dispute resolution: CII

CII on Sunday called for "urgent reforms" to address the burgeoning pendency of cases across India, suggesting that the National Judicial Data Grid could report real-time automated rankings of states on the basis of case-clearance rate to encourage faster dispute resolution. With over 5 crore cases pending across various courts and case disposal rates lagging behind the new admissions in many jurisdictions, urgent reforms are required to address the burgeoning pendency of cases, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) stated. It termed the National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG) an an important initiative towards reducing pendency by enabling data-driven policy interventions. With a view to fostering competitive spirit among states, NJDG could report real-time automated rankings of states based on the data collected on grid, the industry body said. Ranking could subsequently be considered at more disaggregated levels, like for commercial and non-commercial cases, separately. "To beg

Thomas John Muthoot elected CII South chairman, Ravichandran as VC

The Chairman of Kerala-based diversified conglomerate Muthoot Pappachan Group, Thomas John Muthoot, has been elected as the Chairman of Confederation of the Indian Industry (CII), Southern Region for the year 2025-26. The President of Danfoss India Region, Ravichandran Purushothaman, has been elected Vice Chairman, CII said. Danfoss India, a subsidiary of Denmark-based Danfoss, is a leader in heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and compressors. Muthoot heads the Muthoot Pappachan Group, which has a presence in various sectors, including financial services, hospitality, real estate, automotive and power generation, the CII said in a release on Saturday. He is also the Chairman and Managing Director of Muthoot Fincorp, which has a wide network of 3,800 branches, serving over 1.25 lakh customers. Muthoot has been instrumental in driving digital transformation within the group, integrating financial technology solutions, among others. Meanwhile, CII Southern Region Vice-Chairman ..

FM Nirmala Sitharaman to launch PM Internship Scheme app on Monday

The FM will also launch the first facilitation centre for the Internship Scheme being set up in Kolkata by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs in collaboration with the Confederation of Indian Industry

Income Tax Bill: Lok Sabha panel weighs expanding 'accountant' definition

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), which briefed the panel at its first meeting on March 6, has opposed any changes to the definition

EU Commissioners, EAM, Piyush Goyal, others attend CII dinner reception

The European Union (EU) College of Commissioners, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada, Union Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw, and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri attended a dinner reception hosted by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) on Friday.During the dinner reception, the leaders were seen engaged in conversation. The dinner reception was organised as the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was on a two-day visit to India from February 27-28.Earlier on Friday, Union Minister of Commerce & Industry Piyush Goyal held a candid and insightful discussion with EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic in Delhi. The meeting focused on the progress of the India- EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and the Trade and Technology Council (TTC).In a social media post, Goyal stated, "Had a candid and insightful discussion with EU Trade Commissioner ...