CII strongly believes that partnership and cooperation between industry, government and civil society is the key to economic and social development of India.

tenets of life, business paradigms are changing at an astonishing pace. At CII, all our efforts are directed towards harnessing and leveraging the power of technology to change communication, business and business procedures, connect knowledge to procedures and hence, impact profits and the lives of common citizens for the better. Essential prerequisites for this to happen are wider, more holistic perspectives and greater participation in policy formulation by all concerned groups. Our policy advisory and consultative services cover intra and inter-industry discussions, industry-community parleys and industry-government meetings, all aimed at giving the whole policy making process a better business focus and more representative hue. We have over the years created several credible, generic and focused fora for meaningful dialogue covering various aspects such as finance and taxation, foreign direct investment, banking, insurance, WTO and international trade, disinvestment, small and medium enterprises, defence, elections and industrial relations.

CII's Annual National Conference has established itself as the major interface between all sections of government, academia, society and industry. It is here that policy and opinion makers come together on a common platform to discuss and brainstorm on issues relevant to sustained development and its equitable distribution. The event provides a unique opportunity to take stock of initiatives taken over the past year, unveil new plans and set the charter for the year ahead.

India Economic Summit organised annually since 1984, in partnership with World Economic Forum is South Asia's most prominent annual gathering of decision makers, industry and thought leaders, senior representatives of leading global corporations and international investors. Deliberations at the Summit centre around India's ongoing reforms process, the opportunities and concerns. Informal discussions and opinions shared here serve as a global barometer for the same.

Infrastructure is the yarn that weaves the fabric of an economy. Investments in telecommunications, surface transport, roads, highways, ports and airports have emerged as key imperatives in India's efforts to derive maximum benefits from economic reforms. CII's Infrastructure Council seeks to establish public-private partnerships for sound strategising and faster operationalisation of plans, the idea being to dovetail corporate managerial skills and expertise with government financial resources and reach. Investor friendly legal and regulatory policy frameworks, risk mitigation, resource mobilisation and centre-state harmonisation are critical issues that CII continuously addresses during its interactions with governments and institutions.

CII Council for MNCs has been set up in recognition of the crucial role being played by multinational corporations in global integration and overall development of the Indian economy. The council looks after the interests of over 498 organisations and holds regular discussions with key government officials. It has made a strong case for a single window clearance system for all investment projects as a step towards making India a more attractive destination for foreign direct investment.

Small and medium enterprises are key drivers of the Indian economy. They generate substantial employment and have earned global recognition for cost effectiveness and technology adaptation. CII works towards keeping small industry at the forefront of change with updates on latest technologies, market opportunities and finance. Our MoU with the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) helps promote ancillary linkages. CII has also evolved a unique, tailor-made cluster approach to help SMEs implement ISO 9000 quality systems.

WTO Advisory Services are provided by experts at the International Trade Policy Division who track all relevant developments at international fora. Participation at all WTO Ministerials held thus far and ongoing exchanges with counterparts in Europe, Japan and the USA add value to their opinions and shared perspectives. In addition to providing key inputs to government representatives at multilateral negotiations, the division also assesses WTO asymmetry and compliance at individual companies and undertakes detailed studies of WTO impact on specific sectors and companies.

CII's Public Policy Committee strives to build consensus on contentious economic, political and social issues. Firm in its belief that an economy built on consensus is an economy headed for success, the committee engages in dialogue with Members of Parliament, political parties and NGOs on issues as diverse as electoral reforms, impact of globalisation, good governance, patents regime, WTO and communication convergence.

The National Committee on Defence works very closely with the Ministry of Defence towards achieving self-reliance in this sector. It seeks to establish a strong partnership with the defence services to enlarge the role of Indian industry in defence production and supplies. A major achievement of CII's sustained efforts has been the opening up of defence production to the private sector in certain categories. We have also organised CEO Missions overseas and domestic vendor development programmes to explore business opportunities.