Decriminalization, Deregulation & Digitization: Manish Sabharwal on Unleashing India’s Economy

On The India Story Podcast, Manish Sabharwal, Co-founder and Vice Chairman of TeamLease Services, joins Vikram Chandra to dissect why India, despite its talent and culture, continues to struggle with poverty. He identifies the country’s biggest barrier to prosperity as “regulatory cholesterol”—a web of outdated compliances and excessive permissions that slow down progress. Sabharwal highlights the urgent need to decriminalise archaic laws and reduce the burden of nearly 69,000 compliances that stifle entrepreneurship and job creation. He argues that India’s challenge is not about capacity or ambition, but about removing unnecessary brakes that hold back its potential. With reforms that cut red tape and empower businesses, India can shift gears to deliver consistent 8–9% growth, create opportunities, and lift millions out of poverty, proving that the system can thrive once the obstacles are cleared.