Ravindra Sannareddy to head ASSOCHAM SEZ council

Vijayawada: The managing director of Sri City, one of India's largest private sector Special Economic Zones (SEZ), Dr Ravindra Sannareddy, was appointed chairman of the National Council on SEZs and Industrial Zones for 2026–27, constituted by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM).The leadership team includes co-chairmen Dr L B Singhal, former zonal development commissioner of Noida SEZ and former director general of the Export Promotion Council for EOUs and SEZs, and Hitender Mehta, managing partner of Centrum Legal, who is also an author of the book Law & Practice Relating to SEZs.The formation of the council was announced by ASSOCHAM president Nirmal K Minda, who brought together a distinguished leadership team to steer the industry body's initiatives in the SEZ and industrial zones domain.Dr Ravindra Sannareddy said he was pleased to take on the responsibility of leading the council at a time when India is reimagining its SEZ ecosystem. "The council would work closely with govt and industry stakeholders to strengthen SEZs and position them as engines of investment, exports and industrial growth in line with the vision of Viksit Bharat," he noted.Dr Singhal observed that the SEZ scheme had been in place for two decades since the enactment of the SEZ Act, 2005, making it an appropriate time to review the framework for better integration with the domestic economy. "The SEZ scheme, industrial corridor initiatives and the Production Linked Incentive programmes must work in tandem to encourage ‘Make in India'. This National Council on SEZs and Industrial Zones will work towards advancing these objectives," he noted.Commenting on the development, Hitender Mehta said the council's formation assumes significance at a pivotal time when India is shaping the SEZ 2.0 policy framework and considering broader reforms in the SEZ policy ecosystem. He noted that bringing together accomplished industry leaders and subject experts reflects foresight and strong institutional leadership.Dr Ravindra Sannareddy earlier served as chairman of the ASSOCHAM National Council on SEZs in 2016, a role he held for nearly a decade. He was appointed a member of the National SEZ Policy Committee.