Arjun Chowgule, the newly elected Chairman of CII Goa Council, elaborates on the organisation and plans for his tenure
Briefly outline the CII-Goa Council’s activities
CII Goa actively works towards creating and sustaining an environment where there is conducive development in Goa. As a state chapter, we have to align with the national CII and national theme towards a competitive and sustainable India at 100, growth inclusiveness, globalization, and building trust. We engage with the stakeholders of the state and drive long-term progress by fostering an ecosystem that supports sustainable and inclusive growth. Through strategic partnerships with industry, government and civil society, CII Goa also focuses on actionable solutions to address key economic, social and environmental challenges. By championing a collaborative approach, we aim to secure a future where Goa thrives as a dynamic and sustainable hub for business and community development.
Your experience in the industry…
I started my journey within the industry working in the family business, around 22 years ago. Over this period of time, I have worked in industrial sales and today I oversee our shipbuilding and mining business as well as group investments and finance. I have been actively involved in different forums of CII. Previously, I was part of the family business network of CII, the CII Family Business Network International. I was the chair of the NxG Committee. Because of that work, I was the global chair of the FBN International NxG Committee as well.
What are your views about the last few years at CII?
Over the last few years, CII has emerged as a transformative force in advancing Goa’s economic and social development, particularly in critical sectors such as logistics, renewable energy, IT, shipbuilding and startups. By leveraging its extensivenetwork and convening powers, CII has strategically facilitated impactful dialogues between key stakeholders. We have connected industrial leaders with policymakers, thought leaders, diplomats, academia and many others. We have expanded our specialized services by offering centres of excellence. We have centres of excellence all across the country in different fields and those services are available to members of CII Goa. So, this also includes things like water audits, green company and green core ratings, cluster development and many more initiatives.
What would be the primary focus of CII during your term as Chairperson?
Primarily we would focus towards enhancing ease of doing business. CII at the central level has been working closely with the Government of India, especially the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, (DPIIT) for sustained improvement in the business environment. CII, at the state level, will support the state government in identifying new areas of business reforms, creating awareness about the same, amongst the stakeholders; while, at the same time, providing our feedback on the reforms already implemented. A key focus area would be to assess and monitor the progress of business reforms and identify pending areas of business reforms at state levels for policy advocacy. We would also like to collaborate with the state government on capacity building of state governments in ease of doing business and providing a mechanism for regular interface and feedback for industries, views and recommendations. In shipbuilding, efforts would be made towards developing a comprehensive ecosystem to strengthen the industry in Goa. As you know, Goa is the largest producer of merchant ships in the country. As a state, we need to see how we can continue to strengthen that. For logistics, CII has collaborated with the state government to establish a Goa Logistics Centre of Excellence and we would work towards initiating the cargo traffic movement study to evaluate the state’s logistic infrastructure and support its vision to becoming a multi-modal logistical hub. Energy security is another priority, with a focus on promoting sustainable and reliable energy solutions.
Digital transformation initiatives would be aimed to drive technological adoption across industries, enhancing productivity and innovation. In tourism, CII Goa is emphasizing nautical tourism to capitalize on Goa’s coastal strengths and regenerative tourism to ensure sustainability and community tourism benefits. We would also like to work towards enhancing the skilling and employability of Goa to meet evolving needs of industries. If you see how India’s economic growth is moving ahead, there are many things that actually control it at the central level. The key policies happen at the center. However, the implementation of the policies actually happens at the state level. We have to facilitate the centre-state connect. It is our role, both at the national and state level, to facilitate this centre-state connect. That is what ease of the business in the true sense is – to promote and enable these policies and the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 – to materialize through the states. That is really where ease of doing business comes in.
What legacy programs do you plan to continue with, from your predecessors?
In addition to flagship initiatives such as the Logistics Conference, Sustainable
Manufacturing Conference, CII Goa has actively been pursuing new initiatives in the shipbuilding and skilling sector. With Goa thriving in shipbuilding industries, and our efforts would be focused on elevating it to world-class standards. Given that India currently contributes less than 1% to the global shipbuilding industry, there is immense potential for growth with a target of achieving a 10% market share by 2047.
What strength and attributes does the state panel under your leadership bring to the table?
CII Goa’s strength lies in its highly dynamic and dedicated team of leaders across 11 state panels. Each convened by experienced professionals committed to advancing their respective sectors. These members often balance their professional roles with and responsibilities, bringing unparalleled expertise, strategic foresight, and a spirit of volunteerism that drives our mission forward. Notable initiatives led by a panel include the pioneering development
of a comprehensive logistics policy and the establishment of a government center of excellence on logistics, facilitated by the logistics panel. Similarly, the tourism panel and the energy panel have made significant contribution towards the development of the state’s tourism and renewable energy policies respectively. Last year, the IT panel was on the front foot for enhancing Goa’s internet infrastructure through collaboration with ISPs for working towards ensuring the state’s digital readiness. The backbone of these efforts is the steadfast support of CII Goa’s secretariat, which plays a critical role in facilitating seamless coordination, fostering collaboration amongst
stakeholders, and ensuring that a vision is translated into impactful action.
Where do you see CII in a year from now?
CII Goa aspires to be an even stronger catalyst for progress, fostering deeper collaboration with the member organizations, international stakeholders, and
the state government. By lining our initiatives of the state’s priority sectors, we appreciate policies and programs that accelerate Goa’s economic transformation. Additionally, we envision enhanced global engagement, positioning Goa as a premier destination for innovation and collaboration.
Through strategic dialogue and consensus building, CII Goa will continue to drive solutions to critical challenges while creating new opportunities for Goa. The policy includes the secretariat and the administrative officers. It really is about translating Goa’s and India’s ambition on the ground level and that is extremely important. As an industrial association, a lot of us that do work over here, we do it with the spirit of public service. We take time away from our businesses and very often from our families to contribute to this. What we want to do is to be able to create that impact. So for us, success is only measured if you can really see the change on the ground. It is easier for people to do businesses; it is easier for people who are willing to make investments in the state, employment is being generated in the state and the lives of the common man are improving. That is what the responsibility of CII-Goa is all
about.
