During the CII Annual Business Summit 2026 in New Delhi, Rajiv Gauba, a member of Niti Aayog, urged Indian industries to invest more in research and development (R&D) and move away from protectionist policies. He noted that the changing geopolitical landscape and tariff wars have created a unique opportunity for India to become a global manufacturing hub, akin to the success of Apple. Gauba stressed the importance of 'nuts and bolts' reforms, which involve detailed changes at the state and municipal levels, to facilitate business operations. He mentioned the establishment of a deregulation task force aimed at identifying key areas for reform. Furthermore, Gauba called for a cultural shift towards trust-based governance, moving away from a colonial mindset of distrust. He encouraged Indian companies to focus on developing technology domestically and to take advantage of trade agreements with the UK, EU, and New Zealand to enhance their global competitiveness.