PR No – 199
28th Oct 2026
New Delhi
PHDCCI and Government of Karnataka Convene High-Level Policy Forum to Drive Innovation, Investment and Global Competitiveness
New Delhi, 28 October 2026: PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry, in association with the Office of the Residence Commissioner, Government of Karnataka, organised the Karnataka Policy Forum on “Shaping a Future-Ready, Innovative and Globally Competitive Karnataka” at Karnataka Bhawan, New Delhi.
The high-level forum brought together industry leaders, policymakers, entrepreneurs and experts to deliberate on strategic reforms, investment opportunities, technological innovation, industrial competitiveness and sustainable economic growth.
The Forum reinforced PHDCCI’s commitment to bridging industry and government, converting policy dialogue into actionable outcomes, and positioning Karnataka as a global hub of innovation, investment and enterprise, contributing significantly to India’s vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. The initiative brought together industry leaders, entrepreneurs, policy experts and institutional stakeholders to deliberate on strategic policy priorities, emerging opportunities and actionable reforms to accelerate Karnataka’s economic growth, industrial development, technological advancement and sustainability agenda.
The programme commenced with welcome remarks by Dr. Ranjeet Mehta, Secretary General and Chief Executive Officer, PHDCCI, who highlighted PHDCCI’s role in facilitating industry–government engagement and advancing policy dialogue. Referring to India’s ambitious renewable energy targets and the journey towards achieving 100 GW of solar energy capacity, he highlighted the importance of visionary leadership, strategic planning and a well-defined roadmap in translating ambitious goals into tangible outcomes. He encouraged participants to share their insights and recommendations to help shape actionable policy priorities for Karnataka.
The special address was delivered by Shri Sameer Shukla, IAS, Residence Commissioner, Government of Karnataka, who underscored the important role of States in translating policy priorities into tangible developmental outcomes. He emphasised a two-pronged approach of strengthening existing State policies while reviewing emerging developments in response to changing national and international circumstances. He also highlighted the importance of developing relevant policy recommendations for consideration by the concerned authorities, describing the consultation as a positive beginning towards identifying practical measures for Karnataka’s future development.
The keynote address was delivered by Shri Upendra Tripathy, Honorary Advisor (Climate Change) to the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Karnataka and Karnataka State Climate Ambassador. He highlighted innovation, communication and effective implementation as key drivers of progress, emphasising the need to connect government, industry, academia and research institutions to identify and scale up innovative solutions. He encouraged the Karnataka Policy Forum to serve as an open platform for exchanging ideas and translating them into actionable policy recommendations. Citing India’s solar energy journey, he highlighted how policy innovation, expert consultation and inter-ministerial coordination can help overcome technological and economic barriers to achieving ambitious targets. He also underscored the importance of research-driven solutions to address climate change and accelerate sustainable development.
The high-level brainstorming session on “Policy Priorities for a Future-Ready Karnataka” was led by Mr. Sanjay Kumar, PhD (Cambridge), Chief Policy Adviser, Climate Parliament, Chairman, Western Ghats Committee, Government of India, and former Director General of Forests and Special Secretary, Government of India.
The deliberations focused on identifying key policy challenges, assessing sector-specific opportunities, prioritising reforms and developing an actionable policy matrix to strengthen policy formulation, inter-sectoral coordination and effective implementation. Participants exchanged views on enhancing Karnataka’s investment attractiveness, fostering innovation, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies and promoting environmentally sustainable economic growth.
The forum witnessed participation from distinguished industry and institutional representatives, including Ms. Monika Rathi, CEO, Inox Neo Energies; Mr. Ashish Tak, Co-Founder, Grun Power; Mr. Sanju Shishodia, Executive Vice President – Strategic Finance, Gruner Renewable Energy; Mr. Nishant Idnani, Managing Director, Vaultus; and Mr. Sodhi Gurvinder Bir Singh, Founder, Diamond Technology, among others.
The open-house discussion enabled participants to share industry perspectives, identify implementation challenges and deliberate on policy interventions to strengthen Karnataka’s position as a destination for investment, industrial development, technological innovation and sustainable enterprise. Discussions also highlighted the importance of connecting research and innovation with industry requirements, strengthening stakeholder coordination and ensuring that policy recommendations are supported by practical implementation pathways.
The deliberations underscored the importance of collaborative policymaking, effective institutional coordination and sustained public–private engagement in addressing the State’s evolving economic and developmental priorities. The forum reaffirmed the value of bringing together diverse stakeholders to identify emerging opportunities, promote innovation and translate sectoral experience into practical, outcome-oriented policy recommendations for inclusive and sustainable growth.
The programme concluded with a vote of thanks by Mr. Mathews Vincent, CEO, Greenleaf Green Solutions and Co-Chair, Karnataka Chapter. The initiative marked a constructive step towards strengthening the interface between policy and industry, building consensus on priority reforms and advancing a shared vision for a future-ready, innovative and globally competitive Karnataka.