India's Soft Power in Tough Times

India is home to countless social enterprises that are blending profit with purpose. The challenge is to ensure that these value systems are not sidelined in the race for growth.

- AJAY S. SHRIRAM Chairman and Senior Managing Director, DCM Shriram Ltd

WHEN PEOPLE THINK of India's soft power, they often cite yoga, cuisine, cinema, or democracy. But the more apt answer is the one rooted in trust, ethical governance, and community-centric models. Indian-origin CEOs steering global companies; Indian conglomerates winning long-term infrastructure contracts abroad; and “Made-in-India” gaining credibility that indicate the dominance of values.

These value systems are the cornerstone to not just corporate growth but India's soft power too. These are our resilient competitive advantage in hard times. The concept of an “ethical enterprise” was observed in India long before the world benchmarked ESG (environmental, social and governance) practices.

Values that bind

Philosophically, wealth is a value generated from trust, one that also fuels societal good. Wealth held for the benefit of the community is embedded in our philosophical heritage as implied through the Gandhian concept of trusteeship; the moral compass of dharma and today the sustainability implicit. These values are rooted aptly in Aparigraha (non-possessiveness).