The National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (NICDC) on Wednesday convened a high-level stakeholder consultation in the national capital to deliberate on strategies for revitalising export-oriented industrial clusters, in line with recent Union Budget announcements.
The meeting, held at Vanijya Bhawan, brought together representatives from Export Promotion Councils, industry bodies, financial institutions, research organisations, and government agencies. It followed earlier post-Budget discussions on sustaining economic growth and aimed to translate policy intent into actionable outcomes through industry collaboration.
Participants emphasised the need for a comprehensive approach to cluster development, combining infrastructure upgrades with capacity building, technology adoption, and better market access. Strengthening domestic manufacturing, particularly in sectors with high import dependence, emerged as a key priority during the discussions.
Stakeholders also underlined the importance of developing robust testing, certification, and quality infrastructure to enhance global competitiveness and reduce reliance on overseas facilities. Greater focus on research and development, innovation, and technology commercialisation within industrial clusters was widely advocated.
A strong consensus emerged around placing Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) at the core of cluster development efforts. Participants called for improved access to finance, enhanced productivity, and stronger integration of MSMEs into global value chains to boost export participation.
The consultation further highlighted the need for streamlined regulatory processes, improved awareness of government schemes, and flexible implementation frameworks at the state and district levels. Industry-led governance models, including Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs), and cluster-level facilitation systems were suggested to improve ease of doing business for investors and enterprises.
In addition, stakeholders stressed the importance of developing future-ready industrial ecosystems, including social and urban infrastructure to support workforce retention and long-term sustainability. Discussions also covered strengthening design and intellectual property ecosystems, exploring sustainable financing models, and leveraging existing government initiatives to scale high-potential clusters.
The meeting was guided by NICDC CEO and Managing Director Rajat Kumar Saini, who highlighted the importance of continuous stakeholder engagement in refining and implementing the cluster development framework.
It was chaired by Amardeep Singh Bhatia, Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).
Prominent industry bodies such as ASSOCHAM, FICCI, CII, PHDCCI, NASSCOM, SIDBI, CSIR, and several sector-specific associations, along with major corporates including Reliance, Tata Chemicals, Relaxo, Beumer Group and JLL, participated in the consultation.
NICDC, the Government of India’s nodal agency, plays a key role in planning and developing greenfield industrial smart cities aimed at strengthening the country’s manufacturing ecosystem and logistics competitiveness.
Source by PIB
Edited by Madhusudhan Reddy
Last Updated on: Wednesday, March 18, 2026 11:21 am by Madhusudhan Reddy | Published by: Madhusudhan Reddy on Wednesday, March 18, 2026 11:21 am | News Categories: Mumbai