Vice President Dhankar Wants Industry To Build 'Brand India', Defines Four Pillars

Image Credit: @VPIndia/X

New Delhi: At the 19th CII-ITC Sustainability Awards held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar called on industries to drive inclusive growth. He urged businesses to actively support MSMEs and ensure greater representation of women and marginalized communities in leadership roles. While acknowledging efforts toward affirmative action, he pointed out that subtle and often unspoken forms of gender discrimination still exist and need urgent attention.

Industry Must Expand ‘Brand India’ with Global Vision

Encouraging industry leaders to think beyond traditional boundaries, Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar called on Indian businesses to expand their global footprint not just through market presence but by shaping ideas, setting standards, and offering innovative solutions. He said, “Indian industry must now expand its global presence not just in markets, but in ideas, standards, and solutions. Let us build ‘Brand India’ on four pillars — quality, trust, innovation, and ancient wisdom reimagined for modern relevance.”

Private Sector Must Help Shape India’s Future

Speaking as the Chief Guest at the 19th Edition of the CII-ITC Sustainability Awards held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar emphasised the vital role of the private sector in nation-building. He said, “The private sector must embrace its role not just as an economic actor but as a co-architect of India's future……. We are not mercenaries, we don't stand for exploitation. We believe in the positive unleashing of our energy to realise our dreams for the benefit of society at large. A truly developed nation is one where opportunity is not the privilege of the few but the right of all.”

Industry Must Lead in Meaningful Research

Urging the corporate sector to step up its role in innovation, Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar called for deeper investment in indigenous research and development. He stressed that R&D efforts must go beyond superficial innovation and aim to create real impact. He said, “Industry must take the lead in research and development, invest in indigenous design. I would reflect for a moment on this, this is an area where there needs to be more attention, greater convergence of corporate world…research can't be for the self, research can't be for the shelf. Research cannot be just assimilation or surface scratching. Research has to correlate to making change on the ground.”

Youth Is India’s Biggest Asset—But Needs Skilling

Highlighting the importance of equipping India’s young population with the right skills, Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar called on industry leaders to play a proactive role in shaping the country’s future workforce. He said, “Nearly two thirds of our population is below the age of 35. Demographic youth dividend. The median age being 28, we are 10 years younger than China and USA……duty of the corporates in particular is that, this [demographic dividend] our biggest asset has to be channelized in the right direction and therefore focus on youth and skilling is fundamental. The government is doing its bit by a number of innovative steps but major part has to be done for effective transformation by the industry. It is our biggest asset, but an asset is biggest only if we harness it with vision and urgency. I urge industry to work very closely with academia, training institutes, and the government to design future-ready curricula.”