The Economist · 17 Sep, 12:45 · Business briefing

At last, India is getting serious about selling state assets

India is accelerating its programme to sell state-owned enterprises, marking a significant shift in economic policy.

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The briefing

The story
in brief.

What happened, who it affects, and why it landed on our intelligence desk — in plain English, sixty seconds or less.

India is accelerating its programme to sell state-owned enterprises, marking a significant shift in economic policy. The government aims to reduce fiscal burdens and improve efficiency by privatising assets across various sectors. This move signals a broader commitment to market-oriented reforms, attracting both domestic and international investors. The process involves complex valuations and regulatory approvals, reflecting the scale of the undertaking. For professionals, this represents a substantial restructuring of the Indian corporate landscape, creating new opportunities in transaction advisory, asset management, and corporate governance as public sector entities transition to private ownership.

Employer demand for Finance and Accounting skills — indexed growth since 2019
Indicative index of skill mentions in professional job postings for the field this story moves (2019 = 1)

Your move

What this means
for your career.

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This shift creates immediate demand for expertise in mergers, acquisitions, and corporate restructuring. If you work in finance or law, deepen your knowledge of transaction structures and regulatory compliance. Professionals in consulting should focus on change management and operational efficiency for transitioning assets. Those in HR must prepare for cultural integration challenges between public and private sectors. Smart professionals will upskill in Financial Modeling and Risk Management Strategies to navigate these complex deals. Monitor sector-specific news to identify emerging opportunities in infrastructure, banking, and energy. Proactively network with firms specialising in privatisation advisory. Understanding the nuances of Indian public sector accounting and governance will give you a competitive edge in this evolving market.

For this story, the fields that convert it into pay are Finance and Accounting, Financial Modeling, Risk Management Strategies and Compliance And Governance — exactly the programmes matched below. The chart shows the indicative salary uplift certified professionals report in each of those fields; every one of them is a click away, from £79, finishing in as few as 20 days.

Indicative salary uplift in the fields matched to this story
Indicative ranges from published continuing-education salary studies, by field — each field is a recommended course below

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