The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) has appointed Manish Singhal as its new Secretary General. Singhal, a seasoned industry leader, takes over from Deepak Sood, who successfully led the chamber for five years before stepping down to explore new opportunities.
Manish Singhal brings a wealth of experience to his new role. Before joining Assocham, he served as Deputy Secretary General at the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). His professional journey includes working with prominent multinational companies such as Tata Motors, Eicher (Volvo), Tata Auto Comp Systems, Moser Baer India, and BEML.
Sanjay Nayar, President of Assocham, praised Singhal’s proven expertise in policy advocacy and international business. “We are confident that his leadership will propel the chamber to greater heights,” said Nayar.
Assocham expressed gratitude to Deepak Sood for his remarkable contributions during his tenure. Under Sood’s leadership, the chamber achieved financial stability and delivered high-quality initiatives. “We thank Sood for rebuilding the chamber into a robust and impactful organization,” said Nayar.
About Assocham
Founded in 1920, Assocham is India’s oldest apex chamber. It plays a pivotal role in strengthening the country’s economic framework through actionable policy advocacy. With a vast network of over 4,50,000 members, including large corporations and MSMEs, the chamber significantly influences India’s business landscape.
In its recent pre-budget meeting with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Assocham presented several recommendations to encourage investment and simplify tax compliance.
One of the key suggestions was to expand the scope of presumptive taxation to include MSMEs and emerging businesses like data centres, cloud computing, and data hosting services. According to Nayar, this approach would ease compliance by allowing taxpayers to compute income on a pre-determined basis, thereby reducing the risk of tax disputes and litigation.
Strengthening Economic Ecosystem
Assocham’s efforts focus on fostering a conducive environment for businesses of all sizes. The chamber’s initiatives aim to simplify regulatory processes, promote investment, and support the growth of MSMEs and innovative industries.
With Manish Singhal at the helm, Assocham is poised to build on its legacy and continue driving impactful changes in India’s economic landscape.
