India must achieve highest global standards to realise Viksit Bharat: Tata Sons’ Chandrasekaran

Tata Sons Chairperson N Chandrasekaran on Thursday (Sept 18) said India’s reform momentum was driving all-round development and urged industry to step up and contribute to the vision of Viksit Bharat by aiming for the highest global standards in products and services.

Speaking at the second symposium of the Indian Foundation for Quality Management (IFQM) in New Delhi, Chandrasekaran said, "India should be counted on to produce products and services at the highest levels globally, if it is to achieve its goals of economic, social, infrastructural, and inclusive growth—the main purpose of Viksit Bharat."

He stated that achieving this vision required the development of an ecosystem across all stakeholders. "Such a vision requires the development of an entire ecosystem across all stakeholders. It cannot be done by a particular company or a particular sector to achieve excellence," he said, noting that quality and innovation in manufacturing and services were key pillars for progress.

Chandrasekaran acknowledged global headwinds, pointing to "macroeconomic instability, geopolitical conflicts leading to supply-chain and production issues, and workforce mobility," but stressed that India was standing apart with the pace of reforms. "India is rolling out several reforms and industry must rise to the occasion and help in achieving a Viksit Bharat," he said.

He also praised the finance minister for her role. "[Nirmala Sitharaman] is spearheading India’s economic growth and prosperity to become the fastest-growing economy in the world, and rolling out economic reforms at a pace that is enabling us to see an all-round development," Chandrasekaran said.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who also addressed the symposium, called on Indian industry to step up investments, stressing that the government had delivered on ease of doing business and was working to plug skill gaps. She listed three key demands from industry: increase investments and manufacturing capacity, address human resource gaps, and partner with the government on skilling initiatives.

Also Read: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to industry: Invest, bridge HR gaps, partner on skilling