9th October 2025, New Delhi: Delivering a stirring address at the 120th Annual Session of the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, Shri Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, congratulated the Chamber on completing 120 years of dedicated service to Indian industry, Shri Gadkari lauded PHDCCI’s contribution to national development and its enduring role in fostering enterprise and policy dialogue.
Underlining India’s rapid transformation under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the Minister said that India is firmly on track to become a five-trillion-dollar economy by 2027 and a developed nation by 2047. He emphasized that development must be rooted in the three pillars of ethics, economy, and ecology, adding, “Economic growth alone is not enough; it must go hand in hand with environmental protection and a value-based social system.” Highlighting India’s progress in infrastructure, Shri Gadkari shared that the automobile sector has witnessed unprecedented growth — rising from the 7th largest in 2014 to the 3rd largest globally, surpassing Japan. With a turnover now exceeding ₹22 lakh crore, the industry is fast becoming the world’s automobile hub, driven by advances in biofuels, ethanol, methanol, biodiesel, LNG, and hydrogen.
The Minister also spoke about the government’s thrust on value addition in agriculture. Allowing ethanol production from maize has not only raised farmers’ incomes but also stimulated rural economies.
“By enabling ethanol from maize, farmers’ income in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar has increased significantly, circulating over ₹45,000 crore in the rural economy,” he noted.
Shri Gadkari highlighted India’s remarkable achievements in reducing logistics costs, which historically stood at around 16% of GDP. With major expressway projects such as Delhi–Mumbai, Delhi–Dehradun, Delhi–Amritsar–Katra, and Bengaluru–Chennai, logistics costs are expected to fall to single digits by the end of 2025. He added that expressways have drastically reduced travel time — Delhi to Dehradun in 2 hours, Delhi to Jaipur in 2 hours, and Delhi to Mumbai in 12 hours — transforming the way India moves goods and people. The Minister also underlined the innovative use of waste and green technologies in construction. Emphasizing the importance of innovation and R&D, Shri Gadkari urged industry to reinvest 3–4% of profits into research and technology to enhance product quality and global competitiveness.
“The future belongs to clean fuels, green technologies, and knowledge-driven growth,” he said. Highlighting India’s economic transformation, the Minister shared that the nation’s GDP has grown from ₹107 lakh crore in 2014 to ₹331 lakh crore in 2024–25, with exports rising by 76%, and FDI inflows crossing ₹60 lakh crore. He reiterated that sustainable development requires partnership between government, industry, and citizens. Shri Gadkari concluded with a call to collective action that “India’s strength lies in its young workforce, its spirit of innovation, and its unity of purpose. If we work together with discipline and dedication, there is no power on earth that can stop India from becoming a self-reliant, developed nation.”
Earlier, in his Welcome Address, Shri Hemant Jain, President, PHDCCI and Group Managing Director, KLJ Group of Industries, hailed Shri Gadkari as “a leader who has built not just roads, but confidence in the Indian growth story.” He added, “Gadkari ji’s vision has turned projects once stuck for years into models of speed and transparency — proving that discipline and innovation can coexist.”
Following the Minister’s address, Shri Gadkari presented the PHDCCI Business Practices & Awards 2025 to eminent achievers for their contribution to Indian enterprise, innovation, and social responsibility. The distinguished awardees included:
· PHDCCI Outstanding Entrepreneur Award (General Category): The Iconic Trio of Haldiram’s – Shri Shiv Kishan Agarwal, Shri Manohar Lal Agarwal, and Shri Madhusudan Agarwal
· Outstanding Entrepreneur Award (MSME Category): Shri Maninder Nanda, Managing Director, Aerial Telecom Solutions Pvt. Ltd.
· Outstanding Businesswoman Award: Dr. Suparna Mullick Mahajan, Chairperson, Asian Consulting Engineers Pvt. Ltd.
· Outstanding Contribution to Social Welfare (General Category): JK Cement Limited
· Outstanding Contribution to Social Welfare (MSME Category): The Unati Co-operative Marketing-cum-Processing Society Ltd.
· Outstanding PSU of the Year: Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited (IRCTC)
· Lifetime Achievement Award: Dr. Lalit Khaitan, Chairman & Managing Director, Radico Khaitan Limited
The session was also graced by Shri Rajeev Juneja, Senior Vice President, PHDCCI and Vice Chairman & Managing Director, Mankind Pharma, Shri Anil Gupta, Vice President, PHDCCI & Chairman-cum-Managing Director, KEI Industries Ltd; Shri Sanjeev Agrawal, Immediate Former President, PHDCCI & Group Chairman, MMG Group; Dr. Ranjeet Mehta, CEO & Secretary General, PHDCCI; former Presidents, members of the Managing Committee, industry stalwarts, diplomats, and members of the media.
Marking 120 years of legacy, leadership and partnership, the Annual Session’s overarching theme “India’s Rise as a Trusted Global Partner” reaffirmed PHDCCI’s enduring role in advancing India’s economic transformation through infrastructure, innovation, and inclusion.