Sunil Mittal advocates FTAs and One Nation, One Election for India's economic growth

New Delhi [India] May 29 (ANI): Bharti Enterprises Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal on Thursday praised recently concluded Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and advocated for One Nation, One Election for India's economic growth.
Speaking at the Confederation of Indian Industry's (CII) Annual Business Summit-2025 in New Delhi, Bharti Enterprises Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal said, "Many new FTAs have been done. The UK has recently signed. Our Prime Minister really pushed hard so that we could get to the FTA with the UK. Australia was done earlier. The UAE FTA has been done recently. The BTA with the US, the FTA with the EU, and the negotiations with Saudi Arabia are in very advanced stages. I think we have to ensure that the government not just merely safeguards our interest while doing the FTAs, which it will be, but it's also important that we as industry and chambers don't ask for things which will make the FTAs difficult."
The central government is negotiating FTAs with the European Union and bilateral trade agreements with the US and many other countries.
Mittal said that Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) will benefit both partners, and the industry will play its part.
Mittal also advocated for 'One Nation, One Election' as proposed by the Modi government; he highlighted that more frequent elections pause economic growth.
"A lot of restrictions come on the economic activities, and our elections are repeatedly happening every few months, every other year. These multiple elections do create a slowdown in our economy. I think the ruling party and the Prime Minister himself analysed this and realised the importance of having One Nation, One Election, and if you can't do it in one step, perhaps it happens in two steps the first time. But eventually, my friends, we really need to get there," Mittal said.
Highlighting four key pillars for India's growth, he said talent dividend, research and development, trade research, and policy framework are the four main pillars of economic growth.
Mittal said that the government is actively reforming, but it also needs support from the industry.
"The government also has certain expectations of us. We need to engage with the government to hear their views, seek their input, and ask what is needed from their side to build in the country. 5G was a fine example. Industry would have taken a few more years. The government engaged with us. Give us a very clear message that India would like to see 5G much faster than is currently being planned," he said, explaining the need to engage with the government.
Mittal said that the Indian industry will do everything possible to create more employment opportunities in the country.
"Industry will do everything possible to generate more employment, spend more in R&D, create import substitution, and expand its export basket. We need your help. We need enabling policies, especially in the area of ease of doing business," he said. (ANI)