looking at the next stage use of technology: Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs, GoI
GST reforms have brought relief to citizens; the Window for long-term reforms remains open until India becomes Viksit Bharat by 2047
NEW DELHI, 29 September 2025: Ms Nidhi Khare, Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Govt of India, today said that the government has been taking long-term measures which is shaping India. With the new GST reform and lower inflation has brought relief to Indian consumers so that households can invest more in education, healthcare, thereby reducing the cost of living. “It is very important to concentrate on making India a Viksit Bharat by 2047, and this also shows that the window for long-term reforms remains open until we can truly call our country fully developed in every way,” she emphasized.
Speaking on the use of technology at the 3rd edition of ‘FICCI Industry 4.0 Excellence Awards Ceremony and Conclave’, Ms Khare said that the government has already adopted technology to provide ease of living to citizens, including the Direct Benefit Transfer scheme, UPI and GST 2.0. “In the government, we have decided and we have appreciated that it would not have been possible without the use of technology, and we are looking for the next stage of use of technology,” she added.
Ms Khare further stated that it is imperative that the industry should focus on quality to gain customers trust and advocated for standards based on Indian conditions. She also urged the industry to work with the technical committees of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), which are at the forefront for devising, formulating and reviewing standards. “The government has already launched Smart Standards in the country. We are still working on the externalization of these standards so that machines can read them and save time for the industry,” she added and urged the MSMEs to also look at adopting these standards.
She said that it is important for the industry to start adhering to the quality of products and standards. The government can support this by opening various community testing labs. We need to be quality conscious as well as be competitive to be part of the world supply chain, and Industry 4.0 plays a critical role in this, noted Ms Khare.
Mr Suprakash Chaudhuri, Co-Chair, FICCI Technology Committee and Head, Digital Industries, Siemens Ltd, India, said adoption of technology should not be viewed as an expense, but it is an investment in long-term competitiveness and resilience of organisations. India’s Industry 4.0 story is only complete when our large population of MSMEs are part of this, he added.
Mr Gokul V Subramaniam, India President and VP Client Computing Group, Intel, said that we need to leapfrog in those verticals where we do not yet have deep technological penetration, for example, agriculture, public services. It is essential to take technology and AI to rural and remote parts of the country, making it affordable and accessible for all, he added.
Ms Jyoti Vij, Director General, FICCI, said that Industry 4.0 is no longer just about efficiency, but it is about resilience, innovation, and competitiveness in an interconnected world. “Billions of dollars are being pumped into these technologies as they continue to shape the future of manufacturing and businesses,” she added.
Mr Shyam Bang, Former Chairman, NABCB and Former ED, Jubilant Life Science Ltd, said that digitisation and Artificial Intelligence in Industry 4.0 will strengthen industries by maintaining quality, improving efficiencies, and enhancing reliability and credibility.
Mr Anil Kumar Bhardwaj, Deputy Director General, Department of Telecommunications, Ministry of Communications, Govt of India, said that the government is willing to fund the industry if they want to bring innovation in technology. “Money is available for those who want to invest in technology. This funding is provided in the form of a pure grant,” he added.
During the event, the FICCI Industry 4.0 Handbook was released along with the distribution of FICCI Industry 4.0 Awards.