Overview
- The New Delhi meeting included secretaries from Power, Ports, Shipping and Waterways, and Road Transport and Highways, along with the Railway Board chairman and the Chief Economic Adviser, with Minister of State Pankaj Chaudhary and Department of Economic Affairs officials present.
- This 11th session follows ten earlier rounds spanning agriculture, MSMEs, capital markets, manufacturing, services, and technology as part of the annual pre-budget outreach.
- Engagements with trade unions and labour organisations surfaced priorities on wages, social security, employment generation, and worker welfare ahead of the budget.
- IT leaders and startup founders also met the ministry, with attendees from Google India, Cognizant, Nasscom, and SAP Labs, and boAt’s Aman Gupta noting he pressed for simpler ESOP taxation and described the startup inclusion as a first for this forum.
- Participants across meetings submitted inputs aimed at growth, job creation, a supportive investment climate, technological capabilities, industrial competitiveness, financial stability, and sustainable development, with the budget due on February 1, 2026.