Make in India, Startup India overplayed: Rajan Bharti Mittal

Despite the government’s efforts to promote startups and make in India campaign, industrialist Rajan Bharti Mittal on Tuesday said that the fact on the ground remains that it is “rather difficult” to do business specially for startups and medium enterprises.

He said the country must not miss the opportunity to be competitive when China was slowing down. “Issues still remains on ease of doing business on the ground... the fact of the matter remains on the ground is that it is rather difficult, specially for a startup, and for a medium (enterprises),” Mr Mittal said during a roundtable discussion with commerce secretary Rita Teaotia here.

On her part, Ms Teaotia admitted that “the changes are slow (and) much slower than what we would like to” on ease of doing business, but assured that the issue was getting a huge amount of attention and the changes would come through soon.

They were speaking during the AGM of industry body ICC (International Chamber of Commerce) India, an affiliate body of leading Indian business chamber Ficci.

Addressing Ms Teaotia, Mr Mittal said, “This new government has been, rather active in promoting entrepreneurship. So Make in India, Startup India... factors like this have been much overplayed.”

Referring to India’s rankings on ease of doing business front, Mr Mittal, vice-chairman of Bharti Enterprises and former president of Ficci, said, “One little change can move us 12 places and we can go gaga about that... We need to crack the whip and we have to be competitive. This is a good opportunity for In-dia as China is slowing down and manufacturing will probably move.”