The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has reiterated its commitment to Karnataka’s growth, with a renewed focus on the “Beyond Bengaluru“ initiative. This initiative aims to empower tier-2 and -3 cities by enhancing the ease of doing business, skilling programmes and energy efficiency, thereby leading Karnataka towards excellence in quality, technology and innovation.

The key focus will be policy advocacy, thought leadership, inclusiveness, ecosystem competitiveness, growth, sustainability, global linkages and international partnerships. In close collaboration with the government, CII Karnataka aims to develop an environment for businesses to thrive. Beyond Bengaluru and MSMEs are key growth drivers in this initiative alongside technology, innovation, clean energy and semiconductors, as highlighted by N Venu, Chairman of CII Karnataka and MD & CEO - India and South Asia, Hitachi Energy, and Rabindra Srikantan, Vice-Chairman of CII Karnataka, and Founder and Managing Director of ASM Technologies.

Beyond Bengaluru

The Beyond Bengaluru initiative aims to diversify operations into Mysuru, Hubbali, Belagavi, Mangaluru and Dharwad. These places were chosen for their historical strengths, said Rabindra Srikantan, Vice-Chairman of CII Karnataka and Founder and Managing Director of ASM Technologies Ltd.

“Mangaluru has historically played a significant role in fostering Electronics System Design and Manufacturing (ESDM) industries. In Belagavi, the focus has been on valve manufacturing and hydraulics, forming a robust industrial cluster. Mysuru has seen its ESDM manufacturing heritage evolve into thriving sectors, including aerospace in recent years. These clusters align with our advocacy efforts to support members and regional companies, enabling expansion and development beyond Bengaluru,” Srikantan told businessline.  

It also plans to strengthen the ecosystem in these cities and further expand to North Karnataka into towns like Kalaburagi, Bellary and Hosapete.

MSMEs are a major focus sector, with CII noting clusters of development aiming to upskill and enable MSMEs to adopt ESG (economic, social, governance) compliance.  

CII is also collaborating with stakeholders, academia, start-ups and international consulates to achieve its target of making Karnataka a globally-competitive State. It added that it will engage with various stakeholders, including international consulates, to seek business opportunities, promote job preparedness through focused programmes, and encourage cross-learning initiatives for faculty and students.