B V J K Sharma

The BRICS Business Council was established during the Fifth BRICS Summit held on 26th – 27th March 2013 in Durban, South Africa. The objective of creating the council was to constitute a platform which will:

Promote and strengthen business, trade and investment ties amongst the business communities of the five BRICS countries;
Ensure that there is regular dialogue between the business communities of the BRICS nations and the Governments of the BRICS countries; and
Identify problems and bottlenecks to ensure greater economic, trade and investment ties amongst the BRICS countries and recommend solutions accordingly.
Each BRICS member country has nominated one chair and four members to the BRICS Business Council.

From India, Mr Onkar S Kanwar, Chairman, Apollo Tyres has been nominated as the Chair of the BRICS Business Council. The other members from India of the council are:

Mr Pankaj Patel, Chairman, Cadila Healthcare
Mr. Jai Shroff, Chairman & CEO, UPL Ltd
Mr. Sanjiv Puri, Chairman and Managing Director, ITC
Mr. Dinesh Kumar Khara, Chairman, State Bank of India
FICCI has been designated as the nodal agency by the Government of India to act as the technical secretariat for the BRICS Business Council.

The first meeting of the BRICS Business Council was held on 19th-20th August 2013 in Johannesburg, South Africa. In a joint statement following the first BRICS Business Council meeting, the council comprising five business leaders from each BRICS country agreed to promote public-private partnerships among the five emerging economies.

The council also agreed to focus its collaboration efforts in areas such as infrastructure, mining and minerals beneficiation, value-added manufacturing, and sustainable development.

The Economic Times India Leadership Council (ILC) is India’s most exclusive peer group initiative that brings together a select group of senior business leaders from across India Inc through a multi-sectoral representation. As a membership based platform with access reserved only for the CEOs and MDs from Corporations, the Council has a two pronged objective of enabling “Change” through clearly defined agendas and task-forces; and indeed to “Grow” the Leadership in the country through unique learnings and interactions.

As an endeavour to ascertain holistic growth for members and their organisations, ILC offers unique opportunities for business expansion through global outreach programs; knowledge sharing and enhancement avenues; mentorship sessions with India’s senior industry prophets; superlative networking sessions, and experiences of a life-time where the participation is only by the crème-de-la-crème of the Indian business fraternity.

Established in 1927, FICCI is the largest and oldest apex business organisation in India. Its history is closely interwoven with India’s struggle for independence, its industrialization, and its emergence as one of the most rapidly growing global economies.

A non-government, not-for-profit organisation, FICCI is the voice of India’s business and industry. From influencing policy to encouraging debate, engaging with policy makers and civil society, FICCI articulates the views and concerns of industry. It serves its members from the Indian private and public corporate sectors and multinational companies, drawing its strength from diverse regional chambers of commerce and industry across states, reaching out to over 2,50,000 companies.

FICCI provides a platform for networking and consensus building within and across sectors and is the first port of call for Indian industry, policy makers and the international business community.

The IMC Chamber of Commerce and Industry,
popularly known as The IMC, is a legendary organization which has relentlessly pursued the agenda of identifying opportunities, addressing critical issues and driving Indian businesses with the single minded focus of sustainable growth.

IMC’s members and its network have been instrumental in Influencing policy frameworks and changes towards this goal and continually strengthening sectors that are critical to India’s new phase of flourish.

IMC seeks out thought leaders and Industry spearheads to identify today’s needs and catalyse the achievement of tomorrow’s vision.

Set up in 1907, in the wake of the ‘Swadeshi Movement’ to represent Indian businesses. IMC is a premier Chamber of trade, commerce and industry in India.

Headquartered in Mumbai and a strong presence in Delhi, the Chamber has more than 3000 members, comprising a cross section of the business community. It plays an advocacy role on a wide range of matters and acting as an impetus to growth and development of businesses, on policy and implementation matters. It represents the interests of a variety of sectors like banking and financial services, environment, energy, water resources, geographic indications and protection of interests of artisans, tourism, information technology, education, construction, etc. IMC organizes interactive meetings with ministers, senior bureaucrats and others to express and drive home its views. Ladies Wing of IMC gives special focus to entrepreneurial development for women and IMC’s Young Leaders Forum provides interactive platform to young entrepreneurs and professionals.

IMC hosts foreign delegations visiting India and provides a platform for interaction to expand business ties and address issues affecting growth of business between the visiting country’s environment and India for doing business.

IMC’s vibrant Economic Research and Training Foundation carries out research in a variety of areas and supports various initiatives of expert committees.

IMC’s Court of Arbitration & Mediation facilities resolution of disputes at early stages and also conducts training for arbitrators and mediators to fill the skill gaps in this area. The IMC archives is a collection of rare books and a storehouse of knowledge that provides important information and historic chronicles.

The IMCs convergence of clear thought, sustained action and honest intent is the essence of its very being.

With its commitment to overall growth and development through a sustained process of bringing new dimensions and policy reforms, the IMC takes the pledge of driving “Reboot – Reform – Resurge” as the stringing theme across its initiatives in the year 2020 – 21.