Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has made a strong appeal to Indian industry leaders, urging them to ramp up investments and play a more proactive role in India’s economic growth. Speaking at a business forum, she emphasized that the government has already delivered on major reforms and infrastructure push, and now it is time for the private sector to respond.
The minister outlined three areas for immediate focus:
- Capacity expansion to meet rising domestic demand.
- Technology adoption to improve efficiency and competitiveness.
- Global outreach to expand India’s role in international markets.
Her remarks come at a time when private sector capital expenditure (capex) has remained relatively cautious. Despite strong public investment in infrastructure, private companies have hesitated, citing global uncertainty and demand fluctuations.
Credit agencies such as S&P Global have also pointed out that a major surge in private capex is unlikely in FY26. However, over the next five years, prospects appear more favorable.
The Finance Minister stressed that India cannot achieve its $5 trillion economy target without stronger private sector involvement. With reforms in taxation, digitization, and PLI schemes in place, the groundwork has been laid. The ball is now in the court of India Inc., which must seize the moment to accelerate growth.