‘For India, the mantra should be...’: Vedanta’s Anil Agarwal invokes Iqbal to call for bold economic deregulation

On a day global markets were rattled by trade uncertainties and saw the worst Monday in years, Vedanta Chairman Anil Agarwal took to social media to share a message of resilience and reform — both personal and national.

“When the world around is uncertain and chaotic, there is only one thing you can do — make yourself strong. So strong that you will be the last one standing,” Agarwal posted on X (formerly Twitter), invoking the spirit of self-empowerment.

Citing the iconic lines of poet Allama Iqbal — “Khudi ko kar buland itna, ki har taqdeer se pehle, Khuda bande se khud poochhe, bataa teri raza kya hai” — Agarwal framed the message not just as personal philosophy, but as economic vision for India.

“For India, the mantra should be to deregulate our economy. Let us become the most competitive country,” he wrote. “Then, with our large market and top-class entrepreneurs, we can face any storm.”

The billionaire industrialist’s comments come amidst heightened global financial volatility, trade tensions, and concerns over sluggish growth in major economies. 

Agarwal, whose mining and metals conglomerate Vedanta is one of India’s largest corporate groups, has long advocated for pro-business reforms, ease of doing business, and reducing regulatory bottlenecks. His latest comments are being seen as a renewed push for structural economic changes that empower Indian entrepreneurs to compete on the global stage.

Many business leaders have echoed similar sentiments in recent weeks, arguing that India’s next growth phase will depend not only on domestic consumption but also on how quickly the country can modernise its policy frameworks.