Shri Ashok Chawla, Chairman, Competition Commission of India has emphasised on the need to adopt National Competition Policy. He was speaking at a seminar on “National Competition Policy; Second Big Wave of Reforms”, organised by Consumer Unity & Trust Society (CUTS) International at Delhi yesterday.

Shri Chawla emphasised that the competition law is an essential tool for enforcement against anti-competitive practices but the policy is much larger. It is important for countries such as India, where States play a major role in the economic sectors and the policy paradigm in the liberalised still tilts towards State control, it is important to adopt National Competition Policy (NCP) for India. The competition policy is important to tackle entry barriers that are inbuilt in the system and leads to more robust economic welfare and provide governance to the country.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Arun Maira, Member, Planning Commission of India, emphasised on political-economic challenges in implementing a policy. He said that redesigning of institutions is needed to address these challenges and generating growth which is what the Planning Commission of India is attempting at the moment.

Shri Pradeep S Mehta, Secretary General of CUTS informed that many countries have adopted such policies which has resulted in higher growth and thus public welfare enhanced. Mehta gave an overview of a recent study that CUTS has undertaken which advocates for certain interventions that can help remove competition distortions that exist in the markets. This current CUTS research is a sequel to a series of research studies that had been undertaken for the Ministry of Corporate Affairs in certain key sectors to assess policy impediments to competition in them.

Mr. Andrew Soper, representing British High Commission, New Delhi, added that UK firms are increasingly interested in India from a trade and investment perspective, and hence it was necessary for British High Commission to get a better understanding of the prevailing business environment in some of these key sectors.

National Competition Policy urged to remove systemic entry barriers and strengthen market governance for economic welfare. There is a pressing need to adopt a National Competition Policy to address systemic entry barriers and market distortions that competition law enforcement alone cannot fully remedy, particularly where state control of economic sectors persists; the policy would align regulatory settings to promote competitive market structures and enhance economic welfare, while its implementation requires institutional redesign and targeted interventions informed by policy research.