Policy Consensus Centre

The Policy Consensus Centre (PCC) has been set up with the objective of undertaking policy research and affecting policy change.

[Policy Consensus Centre @PolicyConsensus]

Big Policy Win for Policy Consensus Centre! #PCCImpact

We are delighted to share that our policy recommendations on the Export Data Processing and Monitoring System (EDPMS) have been formally incorporated in the Reserve Bank of India’s revised policy.

Following our stakeholder discussion earlier this year, where we were joined by Shri Prashant Dayal, General Manager, Foreign Exchange Department, Reserve Bank of India as panellists along with Prof. Rajesh Aggarwal, Visiting Professor, ICRIER, Shri @VKwuthoo, Managing Partner & Country Manager, India and Middle East, @IndiaSMEforum, Mr Ravi C., Partner, Parshotam & Associates (Chartered Accountants)  and Mr Amit Sarda, Managing Director, Soulflower Co Ltd., we prepared and submitted a detailed post-discussion policy brief to RBI. We are glad to announce that many of our recommendations have been accepted, signalling the impact of evidence-based policy research and advocacy.

Key Policy Changes Now Implemented:

Export & Import bills up to ₹10 lakh can now be closed on the basis of a simple self-declaration each quarter.
No more fines for delays by banks.
Quarterly declarations replace cumbersome bill-by-bill submissions.
100% invoice reductions and non-payments can be regularised through self-declaration.
Reduced regularisation charges for exporters.

This is a milestone moment for us, showcasing how collaborative dialogues and research-driven advocacy can shape regulatory frameworks to ease compliance and reduce transaction costs for exporters.

#ecommerce #export #exportthroughecommerce #policyimpact #tradepolicy #MSME

[Policy Consensus Centre @PolicyConsensus]

Indian MSMEs are driving the country’s e-commerce export boom, with over 1 lakh MSMEs exporting goods worth nearly $16 billion in 2023-24. However, payment reconciliation remains a critical bottleneck - one that increases compliance costs and limits global competitiveness.

At the Policy Consensus Centre, we recently hosted a webinar on ��Addressing Payment Reconciliation Challenges for Indian E-commerce Exporters” with key stakeholders, including @RBI representatives, MSME associations, and exporters, to identify pain points and actionable solutions.

Key Challenges Identified:
🔹 High reconciliation costs due to bank fees, penalties, and CA certifications
🔹 Rigid 25% invoice-realisation variance limit, misaligned with e-commerce business models
🔹 Cumbersome documentation processes, including excessive self-attestation requirements
🔹 Challenges with third-party payments and unsold inventory regulations

Policy Recommendations:
✅ Introduce a de-minimis level for export bills to ease regulatory burdens
✅ Leverage data analytics and blockchain for compliance simplification
✅ Increase the invoice-realisation variance limit from 25% to 50%
✅ Enable a single annual forex reconciliation statement for MSMEs
✅ Streamline third-party payment frameworks for seamless transactions

Read the entire policy brief in the link below
https://t.co/TU6oLOOl8N

@FinMinIndia @DoC_GoI @ICRIER @VKwuthoo @SMEForumIndia

#Export #MSME #ForeignTrade #Payment #IndianExporter #TradePolicy #IndianEcommerce #PaymentReconciliation #RBI

[Policy Consensus Centre @PolicyConsensus]

New publication by Policy Consensus Centre.

Our Co-founder @err_conomist's latest opinion piece examines how sustainable manufacturing can strengthen India's textile exports, improve MSME competitiveness and support long-term growth.

@TexMinIndia @DoC_GoI @CITIindia_org @Textile_In

#SustainabilityNow #SustainableTextile #ForeignTrade #CrossBorderTrade #ESG #MSMEs

[Governance Now @governancenow]

Making India’s textile & apparel sector sustainable

What policymakers and large exporters need to do to improve its environmental record, writes Arindam Goswami
@err_conomist @PolicyConsensus

https://t.co/1PvGiDtUZK

[Policy Consensus Centre @PolicyConsensus]

"Can #sustainability become India's next export advantage?"

Our latest Policy Brief explores how evolving global #ESG standards, traceability requirements and responsible sourcing norms are reshaping textile trade and what India must do to stay competitive.

Read here https://t.co/uWODIHZdpM

@TexMinIndia @DoC_GoI @CimGOI @SEBI_updates @CITIindia_org @Textile_In

#Textile #Export #EUCBAM #SustainableManufacturing

[Policy Consensus Centre @PolicyConsensus]

We had an insightful discussion on "Leveraging Sustainability for Textile Trade Competitiveness" last afternoon. The discussion focussed on enabling mechanisms, collaborative models, and regulatory and industry imperatives that can equip the entire ecosystem to turn sustainability from a compliance cost into a core competitive asset, securing India’s position as a responsible global textile leader for decades to come.

Several interesting suggestions came up during this discussion. Few of the notable ones are strengthening the financing framework for textile MSMEs for adopting or upgrading to sustainable manufacturing, channelling green finance for transitional activities in the process, better handholding among larger corporates and MSMEs for improving standards and access to value chains, and undertaking policy reforms for fortifying traditional factors of production. Additionally, the session also deliberated on the need for policy reforms and utilising used case scenarios for adjusting to implications of foreign regulatory and trade barriers (such as the EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles and CBAM.)

We are thankful to our panellists Mr RK Vij, President, @Textile_In, @profarpita1, Professor, @ICRIER, Ms Chandrima Chatterjee, Secretary General, @CITIindia_org and Ms Spandana Koona, Associate, @BmrLegal. We would also like to thank all the participants who joined and contributed to the discussion.

#sustainability #textile #CBAM #carbonbordertax

[Policy Consensus Centre @PolicyConsensus]

Sustainability is increasingly becoming central to textile trade competitiveness.

As global markets move toward ESG-linked sourcing, traceability, circularity, and climate-conscious manufacturing, India’s textile sector faces both a challenge and an opportunity.

Join us this Thursday for a discussion on:

“Leveraging Sustainability for Textile Trade Competitiveness”

🗓 28 May 2026
⏰ 3 PM – 4:30 PM IST
The session will feature an excellent panel from academia, industry associations, and the legal and policy ecosystem, followed by an open and interactive discussion with participants.

Key themes include:
• ESG and export competitiveness
• Circular economy and sustainable manufacturing
• Climate resilience across textile value chains
• MSMEs, farmers, and workers in the sustainability transition
• Trade regulations and global sourcing trends

Looking forward to a thoughtful discussion.
@Textile_In @NishaTaneja20 @ICRIER @CITIindia_org @BmrLegal @TexMinIndia @TexComIndia

#Textiles #ESG #Sustainability #Exports #India #TradePolicy #CircularEconomy

[Policy Consensus Centre @PolicyConsensus]

An insightful discussion today on RBI’s Draft PPI Directions and the future of India’s wallet ecosystem. A strong consensus emerged that PPIs today are far more than digital wallets. They support MSME payments, mobility, subscriptions, instant pay outs and everyday digital commerce across India.

Discussants highlighted the need for:
• proportionate and risk-based regulation
• deeper stakeholder consultation
• smoother transition timelines
• balancing compliance with financial inclusion and innovation

Many also cautioned that lower transaction limits and additional friction could disproportionately affect first-time digital users, low-income consumers and small businesses relying on wallets for everyday transactions.

Thankful to all the speakers, discussants and participants for the thoughtful exchange.
@reachShriram @badrinarayanang @ramrastogi @raghavpandeyy @BipinSingh @RBI

The outcomes from the discussion would be collated and submitted to RBI for review.

#PPI #Fintech #RBI #DigitalPayments #DigitalWallet #PaymentWallet #FinancialInclusion

[Policy Consensus Centre @PolicyConsensus]

We are pleased to present our policy brief on green and transition FDI in India where we discussed key themes including transition finance and industrial decarbonisation, measuring and defining green FDI, aligning industrial and climate policy, reducing the cost of capital for transition projects, and preparing Indian industry for emerging global carbon measures.
Many thanks to all panellists and participants for their valuable contributions.
Read and download the policy brief from the link below.
https://t.co/KR615qzBb0
@FinMinIndia @RBI @moefcc @PMOIndia @OECD

#GreenFDI #ClimateFinance #TransitionFinance #IndustrialPolicy #India #SustainableFinance

[Policy Consensus Centre @PolicyConsensus]

A big thank you to our panellists Mr Vivek Sen, India Director, @climatepolicy, Ms. Sudha Meiyappan, AVP, @auctusESG, Ms Vishakha Srivastava, Senior Research Fellow (Legal), @CWS_iift, and Mr. Saugata Bhattacharya, Member - MPC, RBI and former Chief Economist, Axis Bank, and all participants for an insightful discussion last week on Green FDI in India & industrial transition.
Great conversations, even though we’re a few days late in sharing!
Outcomes from the discussion will be soon published on our website in the form of a policy brief. Check out our website https://t.co/Dk1oUL0Zys for more details.

#GreenFDI #ClimateFinance #India

[Policy Consensus Centre @PolicyConsensus]

Policy Consensus Centre invites you to join us on an online discussion on the recently released draft on Master Direction on Prepaid Payment Instruments (PPIs), 2026 by the Reserve Bank of India, to be held on coming Wednesday, 20th May 2026, from 12 noon till 1.15 pm. The discussion aims to receive feedback and suggestions from stakeholders of the financial sector, platform based services, MSMEs, and other stakeholders of the industry. Suggestions from this discussion will be collated and sent to RBI for consideration.
Register to join us at this forum.

#JoinTheConsensus #PrePaidInstruments #PaymentWallets #WalletTransfers #DigitalPayment #OnlinePayment

[RT_India @RT_India_news]

‘India’s Energy Mix Needs to Change Considerably’: Economist @NiruRajan Explains to RT India Presenter @osamashaab that 🇮🇳 is ‘Too Dependent on West Asia for Majority of its Imports’

[RT_India @RT_India_news]

After Another Blow To Trump's Tariffs, India 'May Go Back To The Drawing Board In Some Aspects' Of Preliminary Agreement Made With US, Economist @NiruRajan Tells RT India Presenter @aditi_mishra19

[Policy Consensus Centre @PolicyConsensus]

Our co-founder & CEO @NiruRajan put forth her views on the confluence of gig economy, platform work and MSMEs, e-pharmacies, hesitancy of state governments to adopt the social security code 2020 and need for better data collection for platform work.
#GigEconomy #EcommerceIssues

[Primus Partners Pvt Ltd @partners_primus]

As digital commerce expands, its next phase will be shaped not just by growth - but by how well the ecosystem addresses emerging complexities.

Primus Partners recently hosted a closed-door roundtable discussion, “𝐓���𝐞 𝐍𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐞,” bringing together diverse perspectives to unpack the evolving realities across policy, platforms, and market dynamics.

We were honoured to host Shri Ateesh Kumar Singh, Additional Secretary, @DPIITGoI , Government of India as our chief guest and one of the distinguished speakers; who is now overseeing e-commerce along with other portfolios.

@Flipkart | @FrontierMkts | @1mgOfficial | @PolicyConsensus | @bitslaw_edu | @NLSIUofficial | @orfonline | @nasscom | @ficci_india | @NAEconTeam

#digitalcommerce #ecommerce #Techpolicy #PublicPolicy #Innovation #MSME #AI

[Policy Consensus Centre @PolicyConsensus]

A big thank you to our panellists Mr Vivek Sen, India Director, @climatepolicy, Ms. Sudha Meiyappan, AVP, @auctusESG, Ms Vishakha Srivastava, Senior Research Fellow (Legal), @CWS_iift, and Mr. Saugata Bhattacharya, Member - MPC, RBI and former Chief Economist, Axis Bank, and all participants for an insightful discussion last week on Green FDI in India & industrial transition.
Great conversations, even though we’re a few days late in sharing!
Outcomes from the discussion will be soon published on our website in the form of a policy brief. Check out our website https://t.co/Dk1oUL0Zys for more details.

#GreenFDI #ClimateFinance #India

[Policy Consensus Centre @PolicyConsensus]

We are organising an online discussion on "Greening the Pipeline: Rethinking for Climate-Commitment" on 24th March 2026, 3.30 pm - 5.00 pm, where we discuss the scope of attracting and utilising green FDI beyond conventional energy and EV sectors. We will be joined by Ms Chandni Raina, Advisor, Dept. of Economic Affairs, MoF, Mr Vivek Sen, India Director @climatepolicy, Ms Sudha Meiyappan, AVP, @auctusESG, and Mr Saugata Bhattacharya, Member, MPC (RBI) & former Chief Economist, Axis Bank. This discussion will be moderated by our Co-founder & CEO Ms @NiruRajan. Register to join us for this discussion.

#ClimateFinance #GreenFDI #GreenfieldInvestment #GreenEnergy #GreenInvesting

[Policy Consensus Centre @PolicyConsensus]

We are organising an online discussion on "Greening the Pipeline: Rethinking for Climate-Commitment" on 24th March 2026, 3.30 pm - 5.00 pm, where we discuss the scope of attracting and utilising green FDI beyond conventional energy and EV sectors. We will be joined by Ms Chandni Raina, Advisor, Dept. of Economic Affairs, MoF, Mr Vivek Sen, India Director @climatepolicy, Ms Sudha Meiyappan, AVP, @auctusESG, and Mr Saugata Bhattacharya, Member, MPC (RBI) & former Chief Economist, Axis Bank. This discussion will be moderated by our Co-founder & CEO Ms @NiruRajan. Register to join us for this discussion.

#ClimateFinance #GreenFDI #GreenfieldInvestment #GreenEnergy #GreenInvesting

[News18 @CNNnews18]

#BudgetWithNews18 | Amid the tariff wars, how will it affect the exports of India

@NiruRajan @SumitaDawra shares more details
@Zakka_Jacob | #UnionBudget2026 #Budget2026 #Budget

[News18 @CNNnews18]

#BudgetWithNews18 | FM Nirmala Sitharaman to meet President Droupadi Murmu ahead of Budget presentation.

@Subhashgarg1960 @NiruRajan shares more details of #UnionBudget2026
@Arunima24 with @Zakka_Jacob | #Budget2026 #Budget

[Policy Consensus Centre @PolicyConsensus]

Watch our Co-founder and CEO Ms @NiruRajan on @CNNnews18 at the #BudgetWithNews18 decode #Budget2026.

[Nirupama Soundararajan @NiruRajan]

#Budget2026 discussions at @CNNnews18 from 7am. Great discussions. Countdown to budget speech. @PolicyConsensus will track it as it happens. @

[News18 @CNNnews18]

#BudgetWithNews18 | The big tariff impact explained

@Saketmisra_ , @NiruRajan and @SMehrotra1 with more details and views
@AnchorAnandN | #NirmalaSitharaman #UnionBudget

[News18 @CNNnews18]

#BudgetWithNews18 | Presented on a rare Sunday, the #UnionBudget2026 is expected to prioritize 'Education to Employability' | India’s youth watching FM Sitharaman’s 9th Budget | @NiruRajan with details

@AnchorAnandN | #NirmalaSitharaman #UnionBudget