India is intensifying reforms ahead of the World Bank’s Business-Ready (B-READY) assessment scheduled for release in 2026. The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) notes significant structural improvements over the past decade, with India climbing 79 positions to 63rd in the discontinued Doing Business Report by 2019. The new B-READY framework evaluates over 180 countries across 10 lifecycle parameters including business entry, taxation, labour, utilities, dispute resolution, and insolvency.
Business Reforms Action Plan Drives State-Level Change
The Business Reforms Action Plan (BRAP), launched in 2014, forms the core of India’s efforts by simplifying regulations, cutting compliance burdens, and digitising government-to-business services. Seven editions have been completed, with the 2024 version underway, implementing over 9,700 reforms across states and union territories. These cover single-window systems, simplified construction permits, streamlined inspections, and digitised approvals.
Regulatory Compliance Burden Reduction Targets
The Regulatory Compliance Burden (RCB) initiative, started in 2020, has reduced over 47,000 compliances in five years: 16,109 simplified, 22,287 digitised, 4,623 decriminalised, and 4,270 eliminated. RCB+ has cut 4,846 out of 6,262 identified across 23 key acts implemented by states and union territories.
Decriminalisation and Digital Single-Window Advances
The Jan Vishwas Act 2023 decriminalised 183 provisions across 42 acts by replacing imprisonment with penalties and adding compounding mechanisms. The Jan Vishwas Bill 2025 proposes amending 355 more provisions, decriminalising 288 under 16 central acts. The National Single Window System (NSWS) integrates 32 central ministries and 33 states/union territories, offering over 300 central and 3,000 state approvals via an investor dashboard. Additional steps include digitised land banks with the India Industrial Land Bank, simplified environmental clearances, and faster utility connections.