Business leaders cautiously optimistic on India’s prospects

REUTERS

Speaking on the last day of the World Economic Forum meet on Saturday in Davos, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the reform process would continue unhindered and without any impact of political opposition. He also admitted that ‘ease of doing business’ remained a continuing process and more would be done on that front.

While expecting the Centre to continue with its reform agenda, they also stress that the country must grab the opportunity in the global economic scenario.

As the five-day talkfest of the world’s elite draws to a close here, business and government leaders from India are cautiously optimistic about the country consolidating its position as the ‘bright spot’ of global economy continuing its reform process and making doing business easier.

On the last day of the World Economic Forum (WEF) meet on Saturday, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the reform process would continue unhindered and without any impact of political opposition. He has also admitted that ‘ease of doing business’ remains a continuing process and more will be done on that front.

‘India must grab the opportunity’

Expecting the government to continue with its reform agenda, the business leaders from India and abroad also underlined the need for India to grab the opportunity in the current global economic scenario.

With China facing economic troubles and other members of the emerging nations’ bloc BRICS falling off the cliff for one or another reason, India is better placed in the current situation.

Lagarde’s take on India

IMF chief Christine Lagarde said India has emerged as one of the fastest growing economies unlike other BRICS members.

At the same time, a number of world leaders, including Ms. Lagarde and British Chancellor George Osborne, were optimistic that China would recover soon without any hard landing.

Need to evolve more growth engines

Meanwhile, Mr. Jaitley and various business leaders called for the need to evolve more growth engines for Indian economy.

ICICI Bank chief Chanda Kochhar said the mix of growth contributors was another factor which needed to evolve.

‘Manufacturing must pick up tempo’

“India has so far primarily been a services-driven economy. Going ahead, manufacturing needs to pick up momentum in order to bolster our growth path and provide gainful employment to our growing workforce,” she said.

Asked whether investors have expressed concern here about some key reform measures getting stuck due to political reasons, Ms. Kochhar said, “I don’t think investor queries are in anyway reflecting concerns with regard to the growth potential in the economy.”

‘India in a better position today’

“Foremost, India is in a better position today compared with even a year ago and in a stronger position even compared with other emerging market economies,” she said. “Second, the government has clearly articulated its commitment to growth-friendly policies and reforms that are being pursued with timelines wherever possible,” she added.

‘Many expectations from India’

According to industry body CII’s Director General Chandrajit Banerjee, at the WEF meeting last year, leaders expressed a lot of hope from India and this year, some sort of cross-check was done with positive outcomes.

“India can grow at over 8 per cent in favourable conditions and if rural economy gets a boost too,” he said and called for measures to boost non-farm income in rural areas to guard against bad monsoons and other weather-related issues.

Further boost to economy possible

“We can certainly further re-energise the economy with proposed reforms like GST and further ease of doing business,” he noted.