KOCHI: At the CII South India Annual Convention 2026 in Kochi, prominent leaders of the Confederation of Indian Industry’s southern region expressed confidence that South India is well-positioned to power India’s next phase of growth.
Speaking at the convention, the new chairman for CII’s Southern Region, P Ravichandran, said, “South India will lead the GDP growth as India marches towards being a USD 5-10 trillion economy."
Ravichandran said there are indeed concerns about the ongoing war in the Middle East and that it may impact exports, lead to inflation, and affect overall growth, but expressed confidence that the economy would overcome it. He said, “The CII is in constant discussion with the government about the situation in the Middle East.”
Dr Suchitra K Ella, vice president, CII & co-founder and managing director, Bharat Biotech International, said India needed to ride the R&D horse. “We have to innovate, and we cannot afford to wait for technology transfer anymore," she said.
Outgoing chairman of the CII Southern Region, Thomas John Muthoot, chairman and managing director, highlighted the South's collective economic might, noting that the region accounts for 38-40 percent of India's total merchandise exports, valued at approximately USD124 billion. He said, “The six southern states do not compete with each other for the same opportunity—they complete each other."
Rajiv Memani, president, CII, identified advanced manufacturing and AI as India's two defining national priorities, stating that “the South has a very important role to play in shaping India's AI and manufacturing future." Noting that the southern states have been among the biggest beneficiaries of PLI schemes, he called on state governments to benchmark harder on ease of doing business, contract enforcement, land digitisation, and cost of power.
Kamal Bali, president and managing director of the Volvo Group India, said that India has the capability and human capital, and not just cost advantages. He said that India is its fourth international manufacturing hub, with volumes set to grow fivefold and local content rising from 15 per cent to 85 per cent, calling it a defining vote of confidence in India's industrial future.