Sabharwal: IndiGo Had Time; India Needs Deregulation, Decriminalisation for Growth

• TeamLease's Manish Sabharwal states IndiGo had sufficient transition time for new pilot duty regulations, following its early December operational breakdown.
• Sabharwal emphasizes that India's 2025 reforms need aggressive state-level follow-through in 2026, especially on decriminalisation and deregulation, to boost long-term growth.
• He identifies "regulatory cholesterol" as India's binding constraint, advocating for a shift from "prohibited till permitted" to trust-based regulation to foster job creation and formalisation.
• Civil service reform, including performance-linked promotions and lateral entry, is crucial for effective governance, as the current HR regime is outdated.
• For Budget 2026-27, Sabharwal advises continuing employer-friendly reforms, maintaining macroeconomic stability, and investing heavily in human capital.

Why It Matters: India's growth hinges on aggressive state-level deregulation, decriminalisation, and civil service reform.