On April 11, the Institute for Competitiveness, India signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the US Council on Competitiveness, paving way for mutual exchange and innovative activities that can fuel productivity, growth and economic prosperity for both countries. The MoU was signed in Washington, DC at the prestigious Army and Navy Club, in a ceremony and a dinner hosted by Samuel Allen, chairman & CEO, Deere & Company and chairman, U.S. Council on Competitiveness. The event also marked the official launch of the newly formed India Council on Competitiveness.
The India Council on Competiveness created in collaboration with the US Council, is an association of distinguished members from industry, academia, think tanks, media and researchers. The India Council is a bi-partisan or “politically neutral” group of corporate CEOs, vice chancellors of Indian universities, think tanks and prominent trade bodies committed to ensuring the future prosperity of all Indians and enhanced Indian competitiveness in the global economy through the creation of high-value economic activity in India.
The MoU recognizes the importance of developing effective US-India and global competitiveness policies and strategies to promote sustainable economic growth and establishes a strategic partnership to mobilize a critical mass of leaders and experts in order to promote sustainable economic growth.
“The foundation for this MOU is straightforward,” said Deborah Wince-Smith, president & CEO, Council on Competitiveness. “The Council and the India Council on Competitiveness will endeavour to undertake activities of mutual benefit to both nations, particularly those at the heart of turbocharging high-value, innovation-based business, scientific and technological collaboration. I could not be more pleased about the coming together of our two organizations around these issues.
“Launch of this Council really pleases me, its unique structure and will enable us to form a collective voice under its banner,” said Wilfried Aulbur, MD, Roland Berger Strategy Consultants India, also an Executive Member of India Council on Competitiveness.
CEO and president of India Council on Competitiveness, Dr. Amit Kapoor said, “India Council on Competitiveness is an important initiative towards making India more prosperous, just and competitive country. This is a unique time in the history of two great nations to collaborate and enhance competitiveness by bringing leaders from different spheres i.e., business, academia and civil society in the two countries together to make a positive and lasting impact.”
The India Council on Competitiveness would primarily focus its efforts on fostering innovation in education, boosting manufacturing and encouraging infrastructure initiatives, increasing India’s agricultural productivity, advance healthcare, ensure India’s energy security, improvement in ease of doing business and removal of regulatory bottlenecks to boost India’s competitiveness.
Individuals and organizations who have pledged to play a sterling part in shaping the prosperity of India via the India Council on Competitiveness include Wilfried Aulbur, managing partner and CEO, Roland Berger – India; Sunand Sharma, country president ALSTOM India & South Asia; Alok Bharadwaj, executive vice president, Canon; Amitabh Chaudhury, MD and CEO, HDFC Life; Sukumar Ranganathan, editor, Mint and Gerd Hoefner, MD and CEO, Siemens Technology India, among others. The India Council on Competitiveness is a Gurgaon, India based non-partisan network of leaders from corporate CEO, university chancellors and civil society leaders working to make India a competitive nation with a mission of setting forth an action agenda to ensure prosperity for all Indians. To learn more, please visit www.compete.org.in.
Founded in 1986, the US Council on Competitiveness is a non-partisan and non-governmental organization committed to the future prosperity of all Americans and enhanced US competitiveness in the global economy through the creation of high-value economic activity in the United States. To learn more, please visit www.compete.org.