‘Won’t happen overnight…’: Pirojsha Godrej on India’s self-sufficiency amid Iran war
Pirojsha Godrej says the globalised world has been maligned but it has also brought millions out of poverty.
- Apr 23, 2026,
- Updated Apr 23, 2026 11:37 AM IST
It is a shame to see the globalised world being questioned the way it is right now, said Pirojsha Godrej, Chairperson Designate of the Godrej Industries Group (GIG). However, the West Asia crisis has also opened up avenues and opportunities for India even though self-sufficiency can’t be attained overnight, he said.
Pirojsha Godrej, son of former Godrej Group Chairperson Adi Godrej will succeed his uncle Nadir Godrej as the Chairperson on August 14.
Speaking exclusively to Business Today, Godrej said he has a mixed feeling about how the West Asia war and how the subsequent energy insecurity is shaping up. “On the one hand, I think it's quite sad to see the way the world is going, where this is becoming more necessary. I think the globalised world, as much maligned as it was in many Western countries, brought unforeseen prosperity, got great growth, took millions and hundreds of millions of people, in fact, out of poverty,” he said.
“So. it's a bit of a shame to see that being questioned in the way it is globally and the globe going in a direction of each country needing to be self-sufficient,” said Godrej.
He added that it is, however, necessary to take the world as it is and not how we hope it will be.
“And I think there is an opportunity and a requirement for India to look at becoming much more self-sufficient in key inputs. We've seen global disruptions many times in just the last few years. If you look at the pandemic, that made clear what kind of disruptions can be faced, how you need to make sure that your supply chains are more secure. The current situation globally with the war and the close of the Strait of Hormuz is another example of how supply chains can be quickly impacted,” he said.
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Godrej said India will have to do a lot of work on gaining self-sufficiency. “This is not something that can happen overnight or in a year or two, but I think we will have to move in the direction of ensuring that at least key strategic things needed for the country's security, first and foremost, but economic growth, secondly, are, are internally, available.
Now, it won't be, again, a short journey or an easy journey, but it is one that we'll have to undertake.
Watch the entire conversation here:
It is a shame to see the globalised world being questioned the way it is right now, said Pirojsha Godrej, Chairperson Designate of the Godrej Industries Group (GIG). However, the West Asia crisis has also opened up avenues and opportunities for India even though self-sufficiency can’t be attained overnight, he said.
Pirojsha Godrej, son of former Godrej Group Chairperson Adi Godrej will succeed his uncle Nadir Godrej as the Chairperson on August 14.
Speaking exclusively to Business Today, Godrej said he has a mixed feeling about how the West Asia war and how the subsequent energy insecurity is shaping up. “On the one hand, I think it's quite sad to see the way the world is going, where this is becoming more necessary. I think the globalised world, as much maligned as it was in many Western countries, brought unforeseen prosperity, got great growth, took millions and hundreds of millions of people, in fact, out of poverty,” he said.
“So. it's a bit of a shame to see that being questioned in the way it is globally and the globe going in a direction of each country needing to be self-sufficient,” said Godrej.
He added that it is, however, necessary to take the world as it is and not how we hope it will be.
“And I think there is an opportunity and a requirement for India to look at becoming much more self-sufficient in key inputs. We've seen global disruptions many times in just the last few years. If you look at the pandemic, that made clear what kind of disruptions can be faced, how you need to make sure that your supply chains are more secure. The current situation globally with the war and the close of the Strait of Hormuz is another example of how supply chains can be quickly impacted,” he said.
MUST READ | Godrej succession plan: Nadir Godrej to retire, who will succeed him?
Godrej said India will have to do a lot of work on gaining self-sufficiency. “This is not something that can happen overnight or in a year or two, but I think we will have to move in the direction of ensuring that at least key strategic things needed for the country's security, first and foremost, but economic growth, secondly, are, are internally, available.
Now, it won't be, again, a short journey or an easy journey, but it is one that we'll have to undertake.
Watch the entire conversation here: