The road map, prepared by the Niti Aayog in close coordination with the finance ministry, would outline steps to bolster their financial muscle, technological prowess, corporate governance, talent pool and overall operational efficiency, the officials told ET. The details would be released soon, they said.The idea is to create a vibrant, and not intrusive, CPSE ecosystem that would supplement the government’s efforts to catapult India into an even higher growth orbit and play a larger strategic role when required, they added.
These “champion CPSEs” would have greater flexibility in their investment and other corporate decisions, in tapping opportunities abroad that align with the country’s strategic goals and hiring talent from the private sector.
They would be pushed by the government to leverage enablers of the fourth industrial revolution-including the deployment of AI, Internet of Things, Digital Twins and 3D printing-for operational excellence and strategic power, the officials said. “They will essentially be modern CPSEs for a developed India in every sense,” said one of the officials. The initiative, led by Niti Aayog member Rajiv Gauba, is part of broader government efforts to create future-ready CPSEs, he said. Gauba held a meeting last week for this purpose. “Just like the recent budget announcement on creating MSME champions through targeted government interventions, this is being planned for CPSEs,” he added.
In August last year, ET reported that the Department of Public Enterprises had shortlisted about a dozen entities for systemic and technical reforms. These include Indian Rare Earths, Bharat Electronics, Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders, Nuclear Power Corporation of India, REC and Central Warehousing Corporation.
The country had 475 CPSEs as of March 2025, of which 291 were operational, according to the latest public enterprises survey.
