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Stating that design plays a crucial role in creating export competitiveness and positioning of Indian brands, Shri Kamal Nath, Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, said that the government would come out with a National Design Policy. Addressing the 4th National Design Summit 2004 “Envisioning Design in Business Strategy” jointly organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the National Institute of Design (NID) here today, he said that “the Policy will look at a wide gamut of issues – design education, design use, standard setting – in fact, design requirements in India from the supply side as well as demand side. As part of this policy we are examining the feasibility of setting up an “India Design Council”, and also a ‘good design’ selection system (perhaps as ‘Design Mark’) to encourage optimal use of design by industries and other sectors… The Policy would have no use or meaning if it were devised solely in the cubicles of Udyog Bhawan. If it is to be useful and ‘owned’ by practitioners, then all stakeholders have to be consulted. We have, therefore, decided to hold four stakeholders’ meetings in different cities, and also to put the Concept Paper on the Internet. Discussions have already started, and the first interactive session to elicit views of designers and businessmen was held in Delhi three weeks ago by the Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP), with the help of CII and NID”, he said.
Noting that China, Korea and even countries smaller than India had powerful global brands, the Minister regretted that despite India’s impressive large industries, vibrant small scale sector and huge pools of trend resources, Indian industry could still not claim to have value-added products or strong brands in the global market place. “This needs to change, and change fast. In apparel, jewellery, automobile, animation and several such sectors, India has huge potential to come out powerfully in the global market and emerge as a world leader”, he said.
The Minister also called upon the Indian industry to step up its investment in design to see that original designs of India could be introduced in the global arena so that, along with “Made in India” and “Served by India”, “Designed in India” could also become a reality soon. He noted that there was a great potential of offering design services from India to multinational corporations (MNCs) and other overseas clients, adding that India could emerge as a design hub in the Asian region.
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