At a time when aggressive efforts should be made to boost investor and consumer sentiment, the public tit-for-tat between Toyota motors and Indian policy makers is counter-productive. Demand for lower taxes is valid. Instead of viewing this as an affront, the government must listen to the industry and revive demand.
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Several years ago, Deepak Parekh was the first respected voice from India Inc and Bombay to raise a cautionary flag that the helming of the economy was leading away from Achhe Din. Stung, within a day, Aditya Puri was persuaded to put out a completely contrary statement, praising “ remarkable execution capabilities “. Honest feedback is anathema. So one is not surprised over Toyota being compelled to take back its assertion that while it will not actually leave, as some big names have, it will not invest more. The companies leaving China, far fewer that our spinmeisters would proclaim, are going to Vietnam and elsewhere. Managing the economy is a more demanding task than managing the headlines and the news cycle.