Blog

Supreme Court urges the Centre to come up with a provision recognizing paternity leave as a social security benefit

Mumbai, March 13, 2026: As Artificial Intelligence moves from buzzword to boardroom priority, the Bombay Chamber of Commerce & Industry brought together some of India’s foremost business leaders at its CEO AI Conclave 2026 to explore how enterprises must evolve in an AI-driven world.

Opening the conclave, Rajiv Anand, President, Bombay Chamber and MD & CEO, IndusInd Bank, set a clear direction for India Inc.—the time to treat AI as a peripheral initiative is over. “India stands at a defining moment where AI must move beyond experimentation to become a core operating system for enterprises,” he said, urging organisations to think beyond fragmented use cases. “The real opportunity lies not just in adopting AI, but in embedding it contextually into business processes and decision-making frameworks.”

Drawing on India’s digital transformation journey, he pointed to the impact of the country’s digital public infrastructure. “Our digital stack transformed governance and citizen services in ways once considered impossible—AI now has the potential to extend that transformation across industries,” he added.

The panel discussion that followed, moderated by Srikanth RP, Editor, Express Computer, brought together A.S. Lakshminarayanan, MD & CEO, Tata Communications; Girija Subramanian, Chairman-cum-Managing Director, The New India Assurance Co. Ltd.; Dr. Indu Shahani, President & Chancellor, ATLAS SkillTech University; and Sharad Mahendra, Joint Managing Director & CEO, JSW Energy Limited. 

The discussion focussed on the need to fundamentally rethink how organisations approach AI. A.S. Lakshminarayanan observed, “Many organisations are still treating AI as a series of projects. The real shift is toward building an AI operating system that fundamentally transforms how businesses function.” 

At the same time, the panel acknowledged India’s unique position in this transition. Mahendra pointed to the country’s inherent adaptability as a critical strength, noting, “AI adoption in India is happening at an encouraging pace. There is a natural openness to adapt, and that gives Indian enterprises a strong edge in leveraging emerging technologies.” 

The conversation also turned to the transformative implications for India’s vast MSME ecosystem. Subramanian highlighted how AI could help bridge long-standing capability gaps, observing, “AI has the potential to level the playing field. MSMEs, which traditionally lacked access to sophisticated systems and processes, can now operate on par with large corporations.” In this context, AI is seen not just as a driver of efficiency, but as an enabler of inclusion and equitable growth.

Adding a human dimension to the discussion, Dr. Indu Shahani focused on the changing nature of skills and leadership in the AI era. She underscored the importance of openness to learning across hierarchies, stating, “Reverse mentoring is becoming essential in the AI era. Leaders must be open to learning from younger, digitally native talent who are not just preparing for the future—they are ready to create it.” As the discussion progressed, the panel collectively reflected on AI’s broader role in shaping India’s development trajectory. There was a shared recognition that AI could replicate—and even amplify—the impact of earlier digital innovations. 

A key highlight of the evening was the launch of The CEO’s AI Playbook: Unlocking the Strategic Value of AI, a landmark publication by the Bombay Chamber in collaboration with the Indian Express Group (Express Computer). Featuring insights from nearly 50 CEOs, the Playbook captures how AI is driving enterprise transformation—shaping growth strategies, governance, operational excellence, and customer impact across industries.

The conclave concluded with a vote of thanks by Sudhanshu Vats, Senior Vice President, Bombay Chamber and Managing Director, Pidilite Industries Ltd., who reflected on the significance of the dialogue and the responsibility to carry it forward. “This conclave reflects the Chamber’s commitment to staying at the forefront of transformative conversations, even as one of India’s oldest institutions,” he said, adding that the insights shared must continue to resonate beyond the room. 

Bringing together diverse perspectives and practical insights, the AI Conclave 2026 reinforced a clear message: for India Inc., the future of AI lies not in isolated adoption, but in integrated, enterprise-wide transformation—one that has the potential to redefine competitiveness, inclusion, and growth in the years ahead.

Labour Ministry releases additional FQQ’s on Codes

Ministry releases FAQ’s on OSH & WC Code 2020

Mumbai: Bombay Chamber of Commerce & Industry recently organised its HR Conclave themed HR Kinetic: Leadership in the Age of Gen Z at Four Seasons Hotel Mumbai.

Welcoming the delegates, Sandeep Khosla, Director General, Bombay Chamber said, “Today’s Conclave focuses on one of the most significant workforce shifts of our time—the rise of Gen Z in the workplace. As the first generation of true digital natives, Gen Z is bringing new expectations around purpose, flexibility, inclusion, and impact. They are not only entering organisations but are also reshaping workplace culture and redefining what leadership means in the modern era. For organisations and leaders, this shift requires a fundamental rethink of how we engage, motivate, and develop talent. Leadership today must be more agile, empathetic, and transparent, while workplaces must evolve to foster collaboration, innovation, and well-being. The theme of this conclave—HR Kinetic—reflects precisely this need for dynamism and adaptability. In an environment marked by rapid technological change, evolving workforce expectations, and new models of work, HR leaders play a pivotal role in shaping organisations that are future-ready and resilient.”

Setting the theme for the Conclave, Ruhie Pande Chairperson, HRM Committee, Bombay Chamber and Group CHRO & CMO, Serentica, Resonia, and Sterlite Electric said, “This is the first time in history that five generations are working together, and they are doing so in a world that is changing faster than any leadership playbook we inherited. the real question for us today is not ‘How do we manage Gen Z?’ It is: How do we lead in a world where Gen Z is setting the pace—and AI is rewriting the rules?”
She observed that the human–machine leadership challenge is where HR must balance efficiency with meaning and fairness. “Where does this leave us—as HR leaders, business leaders, and culture carriers? It tells us three things. First, leadership is shifting from control to context. People don’t need to be told what to do as much as they need to understand why it matters. Second, HR’s role is moving from policy to experience design. Not just benefits and processes—but how work feels on a Monday morning. Third, credibility now comes from learning velocity, not tenure. Gen Z respects leaders who are curious, adaptive, and willing to unlearn. AI can give us data. Gen Z is giving us feedback. The question is whether we are listening—or defending,” she pointed out.

In his keynote address on Redefining Work Culture: How Gen Z is Transforming Well-being, Flexibility, and Authenticity at Work, Dr. Adil Malia, Mentor, HRM Committee, Bombay Chamber and CEO, The Firm stated, “Managing Gen Z (and upcoming generations) is fundamentally different from managing earlier generations; traditional leadership and management styles will not work.

Organisations risk making serious strategic mistakes if they apply old management frameworks to new-generation employees. We should focus on what motivates Gen Z? What do they value at work? How are expectations around leadership, flexibility, and purpose different? What leadership behaviours work best for them?”

To prepare for the Gen Z workforce, Dr Malia said that HR leaders must, “Understand deep generational insights first. Filter and evaluate each organisational system through the lens of Gen Z behaviours and expectations and integrate all systems cohesively rather than implement isolated best practices. Sustainable value creation requires system-wide integration, not random adoption of tools or trends. Cultural and systemic change will not happen automatically. Leaders themselves are responsible—it cannot be delegated, wished for, or spoken into existence. Real change requires deliberate action, effort, and ownership from leadership and leaders must actively drive transformation to make organisations future ready.”

This was followed by a panel discussion on Leading with Authenticity: What Leaders expect from Gen Z & Vice versa. The panel was moderated by Dr. Sanjay Muthal, Member, HRM Committee, Bombay Chamber, and CEO, Argolynx Consulting LLP and the panelists included Shefali Kohli, CHRO – Chemicals, Filament Yarn & Insulators, Aditya Birla Group; Reena Tyagi, Chief People &
Organisation Officer, Generali Central Life Insurance and Amit Chincholikar, Group President – HR, Hinduja Group Ltd. The panel highlighted the core leadership challenge of understanding who Gen Z really are and adapting leadership and supervision styles accordingly. The members observed that what Gen Z truly seek is Authenticity, Trust and Transparency.

The second panel discussion deliberated on Empowering Gen Z: Technology, Hybrid Work and the Skills for Tomorrow. The moderator was Ruhie Pande and the panelists were Sejal Mody, CHRO, Akasa Air; Sanjivani Sadani, Chief People Officer,
Cipla; Megha Goel, CHRO, Godrej Properties Ltd and Somna Singh, Country HR Head, Bank of America Merrill Lynch. The key takeaways were that Gen Z is a catalyst, not a challenge. That AI must enhance judgement, inclusion and empathy and learning must be relevant, short, and human. The panel concluded that flexibility, purpose, and trust are universal—not generational and that organisations must evolve with Gen Z, not design for Gen Z alone.

This was followed by The Great HR Debate on AI a Tool for Business Value Creation Or Disruption. The debate was moderated jointly by Dr. Tanaya Mishra, Member, HRM Committee, Bombay Chamber & Global CHRO, In-solution Global Ltd and Lucky Kulkarni, Member, HRM Committee, Bombay Chamber, Group CHRO & Member Management Committee, Jeena & Co.
The panel members were Rita Verma, Chief Talent Officer, Omnicom Media India; Harsha Almad, VP, India Consulting Hub Lead, Wipro; Sareeta Bhatikar, CHRO, Jio-bp and Dr. Prasanth Nair, Member HRM Committee, Bombay Chamber & CHRO, Crompton Greaves Consumer Electricals Ltd.

The debate was followed by a CEO session moderated by Hareesh Tibrewala, Founder and CEO, Manabu AI Services and the panel included Pankaj Gupta, MD & CEO, Godrej Finance; Abe Thomas, CEO – Music Broadcast Ltd. and Gopal Asthana, CEO, Tata CLiQ.

March 13, 2026; The REITs & Asset Tokenisation Conclave 2026: Blocks to Billions – Advancing India’s Real Estate Future, organised by the Bombay Chamber of Commerce & Industry, brought together regulators, legal experts, real estate professionals, investors, and technology innovators to discuss how digitalisation, tokenisation, and regulatory reforms are reshaping India’s real estate investment ecosystem. The conclave examined the growing role of Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), fractional ownership, and blockchain-enabled tokenisation in unlocking liquidity and expanding investor participation in real estate markets.

In his Welcome Address, Sandeep Khosla, Director General, Bombay Chamber of Commerce & Industry, emphasised the Chamber’s role as a platform for constructive dialogue between industry stakeholders and policymakers. He highlighted that as real estate evolves through digital transformation and financial innovation, forums such as this provide an important opportunity to examine regulatory developments, emerging investment structures, and the broader implications of technology-driven financial markets.

Setting the context for the discussion, Shaan Zaveri, Partner, Terazo, delivered the Theme Setting Address, highlighting the convergence of financial innovation and digital infrastructure in reshaping how real estate assets are structured, distributed, and accessed by investors.

Delivering the Keynote Address, Rajesh Bansal, Former Chief Executive Officer, Reserve Bank Innovation Hub, spoke about the transformative potential of REITs and asset tokenisation in India’s real estate ecosystem. He noted that digitalisation can significantly enhance accessibility in real estate investments while improving transparency and efficiency across the sector. Emphasising that tokenisation represents an inevitable evolution in financial markets, he highlighted the need for a more professional, well-regulated, and investor-friendly real estate environment to support sustainable growth.

The first panel discussion, Regulatory Reforms and Investor Perspectives, examined the evolving regulatory landscape and the structural challenges associated with tokenised real estate assets. The session was moderated by Ajit Krishnan, Tax Partner, EY India, and featured Sudhakar Deshmukh, Director – Complaint Management, MahaRERA; Sandeep Parekh, Managing Partner, Finsec Law Advisors; Devi Shankar, Head – Real Assets & Family Office Investments, CBRE; and Girish Singhi, Founder, Crest Capital.

The discussion highlighted that tokenisation represents a shift toward a more digital real estate marketplace, but its success will depend on reliable digital land records, strong blockchain infrastructure, and supportive regulatory frameworks. Panellists emphasised that global experience suggests the need for a well-developed ecosystem before tokenised assets can scale effectively. They also noted that investors must clearly understand that purchasing tokens represents a financial interest linked to an asset rather than direct ownership of property. Additionally, transparency of assets, governance standards, and gradual regulatory adoption were identified as key factors for building long-term market confidence.

Delivering a Special Address on the Roadmap to Tokenised Assets, Pramod Rao, Former Executive Director, Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), underscored the importance of strong regulatory frameworks in enabling innovation within financial markets. He noted that the responsible adoption of new instruments such as REITs and tokenised assets must be supported by transparency, investor protection, and regulatory oversight to ensure long-term stability and trust in India’s capital markets.

The second panel discussion, Real Estate Funds 2.0: Tokenisation Meets Digital Distribution, explored how technology platforms are transforming the way real estate investments are structured and distributed. The session was moderated by Neil Borate, Editor-in-Chief, The Fynprint, and featured Shiv Parekh, Founder & CEO, hBits; Shaan Zaveri, Partner, Terazo; Gaurav Gadhecha, Partner, Terazo; and Deakin Daney, Chief Business Officer & Head – RealX Whitebox.

The panel highlighted how digital platforms and tokenisation can expand access to real estate investment by lowering entry barriers and enabling fractional ownership structures. Speakers noted that digital distribution models could improve liquidity in traditionally illiquid real estate assets, allowing a broader pool of investors to participate. At the same time, they stressed that regulatory clarity, strong governance frameworks, and transparent investment structures will be critical for building investor confidence and scaling these innovations in India’s real estate market.

The conclave concluded with a Vote of Thanks delivered by Ashith Kampani, Chair – PE & VC Committee, Bombay Chamber of Commerce & Industry and Chairman, CosmicMandala 15 Group, followed by networking among participants.

Delhi Shops and Establishments (Amendment) Act, 2026 receives Presidents Assant

Notification attached

The ICANN85 Community Forum, organized by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) and hosted in collaboration with the National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) under Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) brought global Internet stakeholders to Mumbai to discuss how to support an open, secure, inclusive, and resilient Internet across the global Internet ecosystem.

The ICANN85 Community Forum is currently taking place in Mumbai. It started on 7th March, 2026 and will continue till 12th March 2026.

A high-level Government and Industry session held today, brought together senior government officials and Internet leaders including the Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Shri S. Krishnan; Chief Secretary, Government of Maharashtra, Shri Rajesh Aggarwal; Joint Secretary, MeitY, Shri Sushil Pal; Chief Executive Officer, NIXI, Dr. Devesh Tyagi; and ICANN Board Chair, Ms. Tripti Sinha; ICANN President and CEO, Mr. Kurtis Lindqvist; and ICANN Vice President for Stakeholder Engagement and Managing Director for the Asia Pacific region, Shri Samiran Gupta.

“The Internet today has become critical infrastructure that supports economies, public services, innovation, and everyday life across the world. As digital adoption continues to grow, it is important that we work together to ensure the Internet remains open, secure, resilient, and inclusive. Platforms like ICANN bring together governments, the private sector, the technical community, and civil society to strengthen the multistakeholder approach to Internet governance. India remains committed to contributing to these global efforts and to building trusted digital infrastructure that supports innovation, cooperation, and meaningful participation from all regions.” said the Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Shri S. Krishnan.

“The Internet today is a critical part of economic growth, governance, and daily life. Platforms like ICANN85 provide an important opportunity for governments, technical experts, and industry stakeholders to come together and discuss how we can keep the Internet open, secure, and accessible for everyone. Such discussions help strengthen cooperation and ensure that the Internet continues to support innovation and development across regions,” said Rajesh Aggarwal, Chief Secretary, Government of Maharashtra.

“The world grows more complex and, at times, more divided — which is precisely why the Internet’s stability and integrity matter more deeply now than ever before. Today, that original call rings louder and truer than ever. It asks us to be steady and disciplined in how we work, transparent and accountable in how we decide, and unwavering in our commitment to an Internet that is secure, stable, and reflective of the diverse humanity it serves,” said Ms. Tripti Sinha, ICANN Board Chair.

“My focus this week is practical. I want us to leave Mumbai with meaningful progress on the work the community has prioritized, and with momentum on the milestones that are coming next,” said Kurtis Lindqvist, ICANN President and CEO. This community works best when we combine deep experience with fresh eyes, and when we bring more people into the work, especially from regions that have not always been in the center of these conversations, he added.

The ICANN85 Community Forum is comprised of more than 200 sessions involving governments, industry leaders, technical experts, and civil society participants from around the world. The sessions focus on key issues related to the secure and stable operation of the Internet, including the evolution of the Domain Name System, cybersecurity practices, and the upcoming expansion of generic top-level domains (gTLDs). Discussions throughout the week will highlight the importance of the multistakeholder model in Internet governance, where the ICANN community collaborates to develop policies, implement solutions, and support the continued operation of a secure, stable, and globally interoperable Internet.

About ICANN

ICANN’s mission is to help ensure a stable, secure, and unified global Internet. To reach another person on the Internet, you need to type an address – a name or a number – into your computer or other device. That address must be unique, so computers know where to find each other. ICANN helps coordinate and support these unique identifiers across the world. ICANN was formed in 1998 as a nonprofit public benefit corporation with a community of participants from all over the world.

About NIXI

The National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) is a not-for-profit organization set up under the aegis of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India. NIXI plays a critical role in strengthening India’s Internet infrastructure by facilitating efficient exchange of domestic Internet traffic, managing the .IN and .भारत (.Bharat) country-code top-level domains, and promoting adoption of Internet services across the country. Through its initiatives, NIXI supports a secure, resilient, and inclusive Internet ecosystem aligned with India’s digital growth ambitions.