CII Karnataka charts bold agenda to accelerate state’s global competitiveness

Bengaluru: In a major move to position Karnataka as a front-runner in India’s industrial transformation, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Karnataka has unveiled its strategic roadmap for 2025–26.

Centered on the theme “Accelerating Karnataka’s Competitiveness: Globalisation, Inclusivity, Sustainability, Trust,” the agenda focuses on enabling industries across the state to thrive in a dynamic, technology-driven global economy.

Addressing the press in Bengaluru, Rabindra Srikantan, Chairman of CII Karnataka and Founder and Managing Director, ASM Technologies Ltd., and Guruprasad Mudlapur, Vice-Chairman of CII, Karnataka, and President, Bosch Group in India and Managing Director, Bosch Limited, laid out key priorities spanning ease of doing business, capacity building for MSMEs, growth in sunrise sectors, and expanding industrial activity beyond Bengaluru.

Vision for a globally competitive Karnataka

CII Karnataka’s new leadership aims to foster a more agile and resilient industrial ecosystem by:

• Simplifying taxation and regulatory compliance frameworks to improve the ease of doing business.
• Investing in infrastructure and regional connectivity to ensure balanced industrial growth.
• Promoting emerging sectors such as semiconductors, aerospace, electric mobility, clean energy, and AI-led manufacturing.

The roadmap also highlights the growing role of Global Capability Centres (GCCs), which are transitioning from back-end support functions to strategic innovation engines across industries.

“Karnataka has a unique opportunity to lead India’s industrial future through deep-tech innovation, sustainability, and design-led manufacturing,” said Rabindra Srikantan.

“Our focus is to unlock the potential of AI, clean energy, and digital transformation — while empowering districts beyond Bengaluru to participate in this journey,” he added.

MSME empowerment: Backbone of industrial growth

Recognizing the critical role of micro, small, and medium enterprises, CII Karnataka is implementing capacity-building initiatives through:

• Digitization and ESG adoption for MSMEs.
• Cluster-based development for manufacturing hubs.
• Structured mentoring and skilling platforms to build globally competitive enterprises in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.

Under the CII Centre of Employment and Livelihood, grassroots entrepreneurship workshops have already been launched across five key districts, reaching over 250 small businesses in their first phase.

“Our mission is to make Karnataka’s growth truly inclusive,” said Guruprasad Mudlapur. “By fostering collaboration between industry, government, and academia, we are creating a robust ecosystem where even the smallest entrepreneur can scale up with confidence and resilience.”

Beyond Bengaluru: Regional growth and inclusivity

CII Karnataka’s strategy emphasizes the importance of regional industrial hubs, ensuring that the benefits of innovation and investment percolate beyond the capital city. This aligns with the national vision of Viksit Bharat@2047, with CII playing a catalytic role in enabling sustainable, inclusive growth across Karnataka’s diverse economic zones.

The confederation is also continuing its advocacy for sector-specific policies, sustained government engagement, and regulatory reform to strengthen Karnataka’s position as a competitive destination for domestic and global investors.