Founded in 1925, Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) is the leading and only National Chamber of Commerce having headquarter in Kolkata, and one of the most pro-active and forward-looking Chambers in the country today. Its membership spans some of the most prominent and major industrial groups in India.ICC’s forte is its ability to anticipate the needs of the future, respond to challenges, and prepare the stakeholders in the economy to benefit from these changes and opportunities. Set up by a group of pioneering industrialists led by Mr G D Birla, the Indian Chamber of Commerce was closely associated with the Indian Freedom Movement, as the first organised voice of indigenous Indian Industry. Several of the distinguished industry leaders in India, such as Mr B M Birla, Sir Ardeshir Dalal, Sir Badridas Goenka, Mr S P Jain, Lala Karam Chand Thapar, Mr Russi Mody, Mr Ashok Jain, Mr.Sanjiv Goenka, have led the ICC as its President.
ICC is the only Chamber from India to win the first prize in World Chambers Competition in Quebec, Canada.
ICC’s North-East Initiative has gained a new momentum and dynamism over the last few years, and the Chamber has been hugely successful in spreading awareness about the great economic potential of the North-East at national and international levels. Trade & Investment shows on North-East in countries like Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam have created new vistas of economic co-operation between the North-East of India and South-East Asia. ICC has a special focus upon India’s trade & commerce relations with South & South-East Asian nations, in sync with India’s ‘Look East’ Policy, and has played a key role in building synergies between India and her Asian neighbours like Singapore, Indonesia, Bangladesh, and Bhutan through Trade & Business Delegation Exchanges, and large Investment Summits.
ICC also has a very strong focus upon Economic Research & Policy issues – it regularly undertakes Macro-economic Surveys/Studies, prepares State Investment Climate Reports and Sector Reports, provides necessary Policy Inputs & Budget Recommendations to Governments at State & Central levels.
The Indian Chamber of Commerce headquartered in Kolkata, over the last few years has truly emerged as a national Chamber of repute, with full-fledged State Offices in New Delhi, Mumbai, Guwahati, Bhubaneshwar, Hyderabad, Agartala,Siliguri, Ranchi and Patna functioning efficiently, and building meaningful synergies among Industry and Government by addressing strategic issues of national significance.
ICC’s flagship Annual Conferences include the North-East Business Summit, India Energy Summit, Convergence India Leadership Summit, Agro Protech, ICC Insurance Summit, ICC Mutual Fund Summit, to name a few. These Summits take place all across India and abroad, and address key strategic issues.
Brief about ICC
The Indian Chamber of Commerce, or ICC as it is popularly known, is the premier body of business and industry in Eastern and North-Eastern India. The membership of the Chamber comprises several of the largest corporate groups in the country, with business operations all over the country and abroad. Set up by a group of pioneering industrialists led by Mr G D Birla, the Indian Chamber was closely associated with the Indian Freedom Movement, as the first organised voice of indigenous Indian Industry. Several of the distinguished industry leaders in India, such as Mr B M Birla, Sir Ardeshir Dalal, Sir Badridas Goenka, Mr S P Jain, Lala Karamchand Thapar, Mr Russi Mody, Mr Ashok Jain, have led the ICC as its President.
One of the most pro-active Chambers in India, the ICC has been privileged to interact and host several of the esteemed Indian Presidents and Prime Ministers in the past. With over eighty years of service to the nation, the ICC retains the character of being the premier Chamber with senior Indian industry leaders forming the core of its Executive Committee or the Governing Board of the Chamber. Its enlightened leadership and membership has enabled the ICC to move ahead and respond pro-actively to the dynamic changes that have taken place in the world order and with a vision for the future.
The ICC constituents are mainly large manufacturing units with operations all over the country and abroad. A large number of corporate bodies of India form the backbone of the organization. Leading industrial promotion organizations, banks & financial institutions, as well as governmental organizations, are members of the ICC and lend a diversified membership base for the Chamber. This apart, the ICC Secretariat runs a number of important national level industry associations, as members, around the country. Some of the important Industry Associations are the Indian Foundry Association, the Foundry Cluster Development Association, the Indian Sugar Mills Association, the West Bengal Cold Chain & Cold Storage Owners Welfare Association, the Indian Chemical Merchants and Manufacturers Association, and the Gunny Trades Association. The ICC also derives its strength and sustenance from the representative national character of its constituents. Another distinguishing feature of the ICC is that industrialists & owners of leading corporate entities in India are themselves members and are responsible for charting out the policies of the organization. Indeed, the ICCs forte has always been its ability to move with the times, anticipate the needs of the future and suggest pro-active measures for furthering Indian business and industry. It has always been alive to the pulse of the environment in which it operates. Through the Chambers enlightened leadership, its powerful and progressive membership of important companies and its professional secretariat, the ICC has adapted to the changes in the global order and is moving ahead with confidence to meet the challenges of the 21st century.
Focus Areas of Operation
Policy Advocacy
Policy advocacy is the first and foremost function of the Indian Chamber of Commerce. Recognized as a proactive body of business, the ICC has contributed to economic policy making throughout the seven and a half decades of its existence. ICC anticipates future needs, responds to these challenges and prepares the stakeholders of the economy to benefit from these changes and opportunities. Through its linkages with partner chambers, it helps in making the voice of the Indian business community heard across continents.
Business Information Service
ICC is happy to announce that it has launched a Trade Facilitation Desk to facilitate trade & business between India and the rest of the world. The Desk would cater to enquiries both from the members and non-members of ICC and would act as the single window for business matchmaking.
ICC EXIM Initiative
- Hosting foreign business delegation and individual representatives of foreign business circles, business meetings and negotiations
- Sponsoring participation in international trade fairs and exhibitions
- Facilitating export process by issuing non-preferential Certificate of Origin
- Visa Recommendation
- Organising and conducting educative programmes relating to EXIM policy and procedures
- Maintaining a database providing useful information on exports and imports, identification of new resources, products and services, feedbacks to trade enquiries
- Making business connections with counterpart chambers all over the world for furtherance of investment and trade.
- Cooperation arrangements with leading chambers in the US, Europe, Japan, Singapore, Israel, Australia, among others.
ICC Agri Business Initiative
The Indian Chamber of Commerce, the leading organization of business and industry in Eastern and North-eastern India has been focusing on improving and increasing business opportunities for food industries in West Bengal. Given the growing importance of the Agro and Food Processing Sector in the Eastern region, ICC has formed the largest forum involving all stakeholders in the agro sector for facilitating growth and development. In the presence of the Hon’ble Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, ICC has launched a unique Forum for Food Industry in West Bengal named ICC Agri Business Initiative by opening its doors to all potential leaders from this sector. This Forum will be uniquely positioned as an all-industry trade association, representing the interests of every segment of the Foods industry from Eastern region, including, Growers, Cold storage / Cold Chain, Processors, Equipment provider, Retailers, Foodservice Operators, logistics Providers, Distributors and Suppliers.In view of the strategic and economic importance of food sector in the Indian economy the forum will identify major bottlenecks that hinder the growth of food sector, identify its competitiveness in the global market and suggest a policy framework that would rejuvenate it, address the conflicting domestic policies relating to production, procurement, pricing and distribution, ineffective subsidy system, regulated domestic markets, lack of infrastructure facilities, low productivity, low value addition, ad hoc export policies and sensitize all the stakeholders including the Central and the State Governments to catalyse the necessary policy changes that are needed to make this sector more vibrant and competitive.
ICC Council of Arbitration
This is a body within the fold of Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) dedicated to the mission of extending institutional service for the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) of commercial disputes. It administers, oversees and conducts arbitration and conciliation proceedings according to the institutional rules framed by Indian chamber of Commerce, as modified from time to time, in tune with the changing legal framework and needs of the business community.
The Arbitration Rules of Indian Chamber Council of Arbitration (ICCA) is the backbone of the secretariat acting for institutional arbitration, keeping the parties informed concerning all the steps taken in the neutral and independent administering of the cases on a day-to-day basis and providing the benefits of a quick, efficient and inexpensive mechanism for dispute settlement.
ICC Young Leaders Forum
The ICC recognizes the hopes, aspirations and dreams of the younger generation as well as their zeal to excel and make a difference. It is this spirit that has driven us to form the Young Leaders Forum – an exclusive forum of young achievers from different segments of society. The Young Leaders Forum, comprising of young professionals and young achievers drawn from diverse fields of business and industry aims at building confidence and leadership skills amongst its young members.
The ICC North East Initiative
Northeast India comprises of seven separate but adjoining states, as well as standalone Sikkim, and is the most tribal region of India. Although the mountainous scenery is arresting, streams, rivers and falls nonchalantly melancholy, the tribal population being nature worshipper and humble the northeast region remains one of the least visited but fastest developing part of India and investments started following since Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) setup its North east Regional Office in Guwahati way back in 2000 after organizing 1st North East Business Summit in New Delhi graced by all chief ministers of NE states to attract investors. The then Hon’ble Prime Minister of India Shree Atal Bihari Vajpayee had graced the 1st NEBS as Chief Guest and promoted North east India not only as tourist destination but also as an ideal investment destination with unlimited opportunities.
ICC Convention Facilities
ICC offers facilities for members and non members to organize trade conferences, meetings, training sessions.
Auditorium. ICC auditorium is at the 10th floor of the building with a seating capacity of around 200 guests with additional space to increase seating up to 300 guests. The Hall has witnessed several high profile visits – Foreign and Indian dignitaries - Central and State Ministers, Foreign Ambassadors and Consulates and other important V.I.P’s.
Main Committee Room- The meeting room located at the 9th floor of the Building has a seating capacity of 50 persons, the setup is board room style and it is ideal for interactive sessions. ICC empanelled vendor services are available on chargeable basis. It has a pre function area and can be used for activities such as registration of guests.
Room no- 1- The meeting room located at the 9th floor of the building has a seating capacity of 25 persons with board room setup. The room is ideal for small gatherings. It also has pre function area in front of it. The meeting room is available from 10 a.m to 6 p.m on weekdays and 10 a.m to 5 p.m on Saturday’s & Holidays. Other facilities like lunch, tea, etc may be arranged against separate payment to the vendors enlisted with ICC
Room no- 2- The meeting room located at the 9th floor of the building has a seating capacity of 20 persons with board room style seating arrangement. The meeting room is available from 10 a.m to 6 p.m on weekdays and 10 a.m to 5 p.m on Saturday’s & Holidays. Other facilities like lunch, tea, etc may be arranged against separate payment to the vendors enlisted with ICC
ICC Kolkata Foundation
The Foundation, which is the Chambers trust body was formed with the objective of promoting the well-being of Calcutta and in that context, funds various projects to bring about a change in the quality of urban life. It is geared to reach out to almost every sphere of urban life where deprivation and denials warrant redressal. Prevention of substance abuse, environment-friendly income generation projects, awards for excellence and the Better Calcutta Contest are just some of ICC Calcutta Foundations long-term projects.
Global MSME Forum
The ICC- Global MSME Forum is a Forum of all the stakeholders of the sector which includes Central Government, State Government, Representatives from Micro, Small and Medium Industry, Financial Institutions, Bankers, Credit Rating Agencies, Governing Bodies, Technology Providers etc. The Forum plays a pro-active role to be a facilitator between the industry and other stakeholders to make the sector more competitive. The activities of the Forum primarily include: providing relevant platform to the industry to present their concerns to the appropriate authorities; to assist industry in its efforts to become globally competitive; to meet periodically with the various relevant departments, Govt. officials, policy makers etc. to review and derive constructive measures to achieve the goal etc.
