'Big Four hire relatives of govt officials': Mohandas Pai urges PM Modi to review their role in govt work

Aarin Capital chairman Mohandas Pai has raised concerns over the role of Big Four consulting firms in government work, alleging a conflict of interest and urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to examine the system.

In a post on Thursday, Pai said there was a "big conflict of interest between Govt and Big 4 in India" and claimed the system was being influenced by large global consultancy firms.

"Govt system captured by Big 4. Many relatives of govt officials are employed by them. Tenders are restricted to them. Please examine to liberate govt and enable more Indian firms to grow," Pai wrote, tagging the Prime Minister.

Pai's remarks came in response to another post that said Big Four firms were increasingly involved in government functions, including drafting policy papers, designing tenders, managing bids, and overseeing implementation.

The post claimed that in some cases these firms were acting as "end-to-end operators" while official machinery was limited to approvals and payments.
It also said, "Insiders say this outsourcing wave has blurred accountability lines. Core state functions are becoming consultant-driven."

The post further noted that the Cabinet Secretariat was reportedly reviewing the extent of dependence on such consultancy firms.

The Big Four—Deloitte, PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers), Ernst & Young (EY), and KPMG—currently dominate the accountancy and consultancy sector in India.

In June 2025, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said the government was working to build large domestic firms in the sector.

"We will have our big four in India, very soon, wait and watch," Goyal had said, adding that regulatory changes were gradually enabling consolidation in the sector.

The Indian arms of the Big Four have seen strong growth in recent years, driven by demand from both private clients and government contracts.

In FY24, their combined revenues reportedly stood at ₹38,800 crore and are projected to cross ₹45,000 crore in FY25. 

Government-related assignments—including project management, financial advisory, disinvestment support, and PSU stake sales—have contributed significantly to this growth.