State-level deregulation key to attracting higher FDI: Rupa Dutta

Rupa Dutta of Chintan Research Foundation highlights that state-level deregulation and better last-mile implementation are crucial for attracting more FDI. She noted that while central reforms are in place, states must align to boost investment.

State-level deregulation and stronger last-mile implementation of reforms are crucial to attracting higher foreign direct investment (FDI), Rupa Dutta, Distinguished Fellow at the Centre for Trade and Economics, Chintan Research Foundation, told ANI on Wednesday, noting that some states have attracted higher investment than others.

"The idea is, as I said, you improve the ease of doing business, reduce the compliance burdens, have more Jan Vishwas Bills and, .... we were really discussing, we need deregulation at the state level. That is very important because that is the last mile of implementation," she told ANI on the sidelines of a FICCI event on Investment Economics in India Manufacturing, FDI and Industrial Transformation.

She further added that there have been a lot of reforms in the Centre, but the states have to be in sync. "Some states have done better and they have got more investment. In our presentation also we have shown which are the states getting more FDI," Dutta said.

Role of Government and Industry

According to Dutta, the government should continue to act as a catalyst and facilitator by increasing investment in infrastructure, strengthening research and development (R&D) support and encouraging innovation, while industry must also step up investments. She noted that industry's share in gross fixed capital formation has remained around 30 per cent and stressed the need to encourage higher private sector investment.

Boosting MSMEs for Growth

Highlighting the importance of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), Dutta said the sector contributes around 45 per cent of India's exports and 30 per cent of GDP. She said MSMEs need greater access to Industry 4.0 and Industry 5.0 technologies so they become more technologically advanced, improve quality and expand into a larger export basket.

Improving Industrial Infrastructure

On industrial infrastructure, Dutta said the proposed industrial cities will provide land, electricity and connectivity under a hub-and-spoke model, making it easier for investors to establish manufacturing units. She added that steps are being taken to expedite land clearances, labour reforms are in place, and efforts are being made to improve access to capital and encourage enterprises through better policy support.

Focus on Strategic Sectors

Responding to a question on the government's focus on critical minerals and semiconductor manufacturing, Dutta said India has dedicated missions for both sectors but cautioned that their impact would take time to materialise. "Definitely steps are being taken, but these steps would take a bit of time. The investment decisions will not happen immediately," she said.

Labour-Intensive Industries

Dutta said that while high-end manufacturing remains important, labour-intensive sectors such as textiles, leather, footwear, and gems and jewellery should also receive greater attention as they generate significant employment, support MSMEs and contribute to exports.

Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme

She also said the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme is performing well in terms of employment generation and exports in some sectors, adding that there is growing demand for extending the scheme to more industries.

Seminar Insights and Future Outlook

The seminar focused on catalysing both domestic and foreign investment to strengthen India's manufacturing sector and convert investment into higher manufacturing output.

Dutta said India needs to increase manufacturing's share in Gross Domestic Product (GDP), promote technology transfer and build globally competitive firms to maximise the benefits of the free trade agreements (FTAs) signed by the country.

While both services and manufacturing play an important role in economic growth, she said the seminar's focus was on manufacturing. She said industry representatives raised concerns over the business environment, with discussions centred on improving ease of doing business, reducing compliance burdens and decriminalising offences through measures such as the Jan Vishwas Bills. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianetnews Editorial staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)