In a candid address at the launch of O.P. Jindal Global University’s groundbreaking ‘Regulatory Governance: The Horizon, 2026’ report, Arundhati Bhattacharya delivered a stark message: India’s regulatory framework has grown too intricate, hindering innovation and agility. The Salesforce South Asia leader and ex-SBI chief called for a paradigm shift toward an environment that incentivizes risk-taking and resilience.
‘We need an ecosystem that rewards innovation, allows quick expansion, and supports recovery from setbacks,’ Bhattacharya stated during the Mumbai event. She criticized regulators for lagging behind technological advancements and masking enforcement gaps with excessive rules. Every sector now has its watchdog, but their focus must align with India’s growth imperatives—prioritizing jobs and livelihoods.
JGU’s CRG, dedicated to enhancing regulatory effectiveness, accountability, and transparency, produced this in-depth study covering developments, reforms, and global benchmarks. Prof. C. Raj Kumar highlighted academia’s role in driving legal, statutory, and policy changes to tackle regulatory hurdles.
Echoing budget priorities and economic surveys, the report links strong regulation to business ease and digital initiatives like Digital India. IRDAI’s Ajay Seth advocated visionary principles for competition, stability, and consumer safeguards, favoring deregulation alongside smarter rules.
Prof. Subhomoy Bhattacharjee outlined future annual reports with a focus on effectiveness metrics, involving comparative analyses with global peers. Panel discussions delved into globalization’s role in regulatory evolution, addressing AI’s disruptive potential across fintech, energy, telecom, healthcare, and climate sectors.
Experts like Deloitte’s Archana Bhutani, Adani Vizhinjam Port’s Pradeep Jairaman, and Generali’s K.G. Krishnamurthy Rao emphasized regulators’ need to prove their value as bargaining power for citizens and industries. With economic growth accelerating, this blueprint urges a proactive regulatory renaissance.
