West Asia conflict portends return of colonialism: Uday Kotak
Kotak, a non-independent director and founder of private sector lender Kotak Mahindra Bank, said this phase was last seen in the early years of the 20th century.
“We are at a very important peak of what I call the return of global colonialism, something that the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) fought for from 1927 to 1947, and we are at such a peak in 2026 as well,” he said while addressing an event organized by the industry body in Mumbai.
Kotak explained that his observation was not political in nature but was based on global developments and public discourse.
“The fact that we are at such a point is very clear… I am not getting into politics, I am just repeating the facts of (US President) Donald Trump’s speech at the White House,” he said, warning that the world may be entering a phase where economic and strategic control increasingly determines global power dynamics.
On the domestic front, Kotak said India should prioritize strengthening the weakest segment of “middle manufacturing”, which includes firms investing up to Rs 1,000 crore in projects to support long-term economic resilience.
“I think the biggest area where we need to build and where we can play that role for an Atmanirbhar Bharat is in creating mid-level manufacturing. The weakest area we need to focus on is mid-level manufacturing,” he said. Kotak explained that this segment generally includes manufacturing projects requiring capital investment in the range of Rs 100 crore to Rs 1,000 crore and stated that strengthening this layer is critical to enhance India’s industrial depth and achieve larger economic goals. confidence.
He also called on major corporate groups and companies to increase their investments in research, development and innovation to increase competitiveness and sustain long-term growth.
