The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has set out an ambitious reform blueprint aimed at accelerating India’s journey towards the government’s Viksit Bharat vision, urging wide-ranging changes to tax, trade, and employment policies.
Unveiling its report, Policies for a Competitive India, the industry body has proposed more than 250 actionable recommendations across 14 reform areas, developed after extensive consultation with business leaders, economists, and policymakers.
Central to the proposals is a push for a simplified GST structure with expanded coverage to petroleum and real estate, alongside a rationalised tariff regime to make Indian exports globally competitive. The report also underlines the need for national employment and gig economy policies, streamlined labour codes, and a stronger framework for wage and dispute resolution.
CII President Rajiv Memani observed, “These recommendations are closely aligned with the government’s reform trajectory and are in support of the Prime Minister’s call for bold and transformative change. As a live document, Policies for a Competitive India will continue to evolve, bringing fresh ideas to support policymakers.”
The blueprint also outlines fiscal prudence, modernised statistical systems, privatisation of non-strategic PSEs, creation of a sovereign wealth fund, time-bound approvals, single-window clearances, and second-generation Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code reforms.
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On energy, the recommendations include competitive tariffs, ending cross-subsidisation, greater private participation in nuclear power, and a comprehensive roadmap for green hydrogen. On the legal front, it calls for strengthening commercial courts, arbitration councils, and tribunal oversight to ensure faster dispute resolution.
Sanjiv Bajaj, Past President of CII and Chairman of the Task Force on Reciprocal Tariffs, said, “As India moves rapidly towards becoming the world’s third-largest economy, it must now add greater pace and depth to this reform agenda to be globally competitive. With Free Trade Agreements opening new opportunities and India’s economic engagements expanding worldwide, Indian industry must be prepared to compete with the best.”
The report further advocates a dedicated e-commerce export strategy, stronger manufacturing corridors, improved freight connectivity, phased compliance for MSMEs, and closer integration of industry with climate adaptation and sustainability-linked procurement.
According to CII, the recommended reforms collectively hold the potential to strengthen growth, create employment, and build resilience — positioning India firmly on course to meet its Viksit Bharat target while bolstering its global leadership ambitions.
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