Sunil Bajaj - Group Director - CAD, ABG | Former Director - Essar Group

  India is changing its foreign policy and defence policy while gearing up to take its place at the center of global politics. Today, India is the world’s largest democracy and an emerging economic power. The acts of India, whether in terms of strategic diplomacy or strong defense reforms, strengthen leadership in the development of an inclusive, progressive, and safe multipolar world. Strengthening Foreign Relations: A Strategic Imperative The heart of Indian foreign policy lies in its unrelenting commitment to regional and global partnerships. All outreach diplomacy by the country is founded on the ‘Neighbourhood First Policy’, ‘Act East Policy’, ‘Think West Policy’, and ‘Connect Central Asia Policy’ that are together reaching out to friends and potential partners. The Security and Growth for All in the Region initiative, SAGAR, itself symbolizes India’s strategic focus towards maritime cooperation and stability in the region. India, with a solid footing in multilateral forums li...

  India’s foreign policy has emerged as a masterclass in balancing, strategic autonomy, and economic aspiration in the constantly changing world of global geopolitics. As the globe tilts toward a multipolar reality, India is walking the tightrope carefully, managing intricate relationships with key powers such as the United States, Israel, Iran, Russia, and China. These dynamics are influenced by both economic and political considerations, frequently requiring a delicate balancing act that India must execute to safeguard its interests on the global stage. India’s foreign policy approach—characterized by its focus on multi-alignment—has enabled the nation to court a variety of powers without compromising its independence. Yet this balancing act is becoming increasingly challenging as India’s economic and strategic interests increasingly intertwine. None of these developments is more critically highlighted than the country’s relationships with Israel, Iran, Russia, and China. The U.S...

  Artificial intelligence (AI) is not alive, it is a machine tool. Contrary to the scare often drummed up by fiction and media, the essence of reality is that AI is merely a collection of algorithms that parse data and generate outputs. It is not sentient, it lacks intent, and it does not act autonomously without human input. Like any powerful technology, AI can be harnessed for immense good or misused, but in either case, the responsibility lies with people, not machines. This blog explores the current landscape of AI with a focus on India’s growing ecosystem, the evolving workforce, and the frameworks necessary to ensure ethical and effective deployment. Defining AI’s Capabilities and Limits AI is not conscious. AI has no emotions, awareness, or intent. What it does have is an exceptional ability to process vast amounts of data, identify patterns, and make statistically educated predictions. These abilities enable AI systems to perform repetitive tasks, support more effective dec...

  With the world economy rapidly evolving, there’s one country that can serve as a shining beacon of business development: India. As it boasts a solid pool of professionals, an enormous and expanding consumer market, and aggressive infrastructure revamps, India is now not just a low-cost hub—it’s rapidly turning into a strategic entry point for multinationals. The India Advantage: A $1 Trillion Opportunity As world trade flows are reorienting on a massive scale, India has much to gain. By some estimates, the country can unlock up to $1.2 trillion of value by 2030 alone through trade flow changes. Manufacturing, currently about 16% of Indian GDP, could increase to 25% by then—a tremendous jump that suggests India’s growing importance in the global production network. This is not theoretical. In just the years 2021-2023 alone, nearly 1,000 international companies enrolled to conduct business in India—almost twice as many as in the past two years. And there are over 1,500 Global Capab...

  India’s geopolitical environment is among the most complex in the world. Dealing with two nuclear-armed neighbors with unresolved border disputes and facing a rapidly evolving international system, India has placed defense modernization and strategic autonomy at the heart of its national security policy. Over the past few years, New Delhi has stepped up its defense transformation—balancing domestic production aspirations with active diplomatic outreach. This blog examines how India’s defence diplomacy, strategic alliances, and increasing focus on self-reliance are transforming its military stance and international profile. Source: << https://sunilbajaj.in/resources/blog/defense-modernization/

  From May 26 to May 31, 2025, Indian startups raised over $203 million in 23 deals. The start-ups spanned across as broad a range of categories as fashion, traveltech, financial services, AI, logistics, beverages, beauty, sportstech, and retail. While the funding amount dropped a point from last week at $209 million, the width and depth of innovation in such fields signify a fundamental change: Bharat is no longer just a consumer of innovation, it is becoming an innovation force to be reckoned with itself. This accumulation of action takes not just a resurgent startup ecosystem but also the steadily decentralized spirit of Indian entrepreneurship. Bengaluru to Bhubaneswar, Tier 1 hubs to Tier 2 accelerators , India’s innovation map is rapidly changing. Capital Flows Signal Investor Confidence in Indian Startups The stampede of the past fortnight is more than a burst of excitement. Investors are now marking confidently in India’s seed-stage and growth-stage startups. Some of the tr...

  It takes years to build a multimillion-dollar company. Destroying it? That can take 10 seconds. Not due to stock market crashes or accidents, but due to poor choices, made in haste, frequently over and over again, and sometimes unconsciously. Let’s get real: companies don’t collapse due to a lack of ideas. They collapse due to execution getting derailed, by ego, speed, misaligned incentives, or bad judgment. If you’re starting a company and you want it to last, these are the fatal mistakes that can doom your ship in no time. 1. Saying Yes to Everything The simplest method to dilute your business is by attempting to be everything to everybody. Feature creep, pursuing every customer segment, expanding out of FOMO instead of strategy, these actions do not simply slow you down, they break your focus. Prioritization is how you take great ideas and create mediocre products. Source: << https://sunilbajaj.in/resources/blog/how-to-destroy-a-multimillion-dollar-company-in-10-seconds/...

  Sustainable innovation is no longer a buzzword – it is a necessity, every global power house is rattling their brains to tame the situation. This article explores that critical interface between innovation and sustainability, presenting strategies businesses can embrace to chart their course for a greener future. Whether you are an entrepreneur, an established company, or simply curious about what sustainable practices promise to provide, this report is a treasure trove of various ways that innovation reshapes industries and invokes personal responsibility toward our environmental future. Understanding Sustainable Innovation Sustainable innovation is defined as the development of solution approaches that lead to economic growth with a positive impact on the environment. Through this model, sustainable practices can be incorporated into business models for improved resilience and social accountability. Companies embracing sustainable practices reduce their carbon footprint and con...

  U.S. slaps 25% tariff on Indian goods. Why? Because we keep buying cheap oil from Russia. Washington wants us to cut back, and tariffs are their pressure tactic. But the question we ought to be asking is really: what does this say about India’s place in the global trade and technology hierarchy? This is not an economic issue. This is a geopolitics issue. It’s about whether we can stay true to our strategic autonomy while navigating the realities of a more fragmented global marketplace. Why This Is Bigger Than Trade Numbers The U.S. is our largest single-country export destination. In 2024, bilateral trade crossed US$ 118.2 billion. That’s not a statistic to be taken lightly. Source: << https://sunilbajaj.in/resources/blog/how-indian-exporters-will-be-affected-by-us-tariffs/

  When Make in India was rolled out in 2014, the vision was evident, make India a manufacturing hub of the world, generate jobs in gigantic numbers, and cut down on import dependence. Almost a decade down the line, we have momentum, but we also have a better understanding of what challenges lie ahead. We’ve made irrefutable progress, the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes have attracted marquee players; the National Logistics Policy is now beginning to address systemic bottlenecks; and our FDI inflows demonstrate strong global confidence. But as someone deeply engaged with India’s industrial revolution, I believe Make in India 2.0 needs to achieve more than schemes. It needs to address the structural vulnerabilities that still straitjacket our manufacturing potential. Manufacturing as the Core Driver of India’s $5 Trillion Economy Goal India’s goal is to be a $5 trillion economy. That is not going to be achieved through services. Manufacturing generates not only jobs, but a ...

Imagine a boardroom where discussions aren’t only about quarterly earnings or market share, but about the very resilience of the nation. This is the reality today. National security is no longer confined to armies, fighter jets, or border control, it has become a corporate and industrial imperative. From cyberattacks targeting banks and energy grids, to supply chain chokepoints in semiconductors and rare-earth minerals, the vulnerabilities that threaten nations are increasingly commercial, digital, and industrial. The companies operating in these spaces are often the first line of defense, and their strategic decisions have national consequences. The Changing Face of National Security National security today extends far beyond traditional military might. Modern threats include: Cyber Warfare: Nation-state actors and organized groups are increasingly targeting critical infrastructure, from power grids to defense manufacturing systems. Supply Chain Vulnerabilities: Dependence on foreign ...

  Every so often, a policy signal feels bigger than the headline. Prime Minister Modi’s Independence Day announcement, moving GST toward two slabs with special rates for a few items, has that quality. If delivered with discipline, it can simplify life for families, reduce friction for businesses, and strengthen India’s growth story. What’s Changing, and Why It Matters India currently runs four GST slabs (5%, 12%, 18%, 28%), plus exemptions and a cess on luxury and “sin” goods. The proposal is to move to two main rates (5% and 18%), with a special 40% rate for a small basket of sin goods. Most items now at 28% would drop to 18%; most at 12% would move to 5%. The Finance Ministry has also flagged tech-driven registration, pre-filled returns, and faster, automated refunds, especially helpful for exporters and MSMEs. This is not tinkering. It’s a reset aimed at clarity, lower compliance cost, and more predictable planning for both households and industry. Source: << https://sunil...