India’s TOP 500 Companies 2020

INDIA’S TOP 500 COMPANIES 2020 95 In the past few years, the Government of India has taken several measures like introduction of GST, implementation of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, further liberalisation of FDI policy, increased investment in infrastructure and the recapitalisation of PSU Banks, amongst others in order to provide impetus to the economy. In addition, initiatives like, Jan Dhan Yojana, Make in India, Digital India, Start-up India and Skill India were introduced to deliver sustainable development. While the Indian economy appeared to be responding to these initiatives, the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic delivered an unprecedented shock to the economy. The pandemic has resulted in both supply and demand side disruptions, which has turned the COVID-19 pandemic into an economic pandemic. While the fiscal and monetary stimulus measures are expected to help in reviving the economy, the role of India’s corporate sector is also going to be critical in the path towards economic recovery. India Inc., especially India’s Top 500 companies will play a major role in this endeavour through investments, job creation, income generation and adoption of digital technologies, amongst others. The year 2020 has undoubtedly been a challenging one for businesses. Nevertheless, as we gradually move closer to emerging out of the lockdown situation, the crisis presents a huge opportunity for the Top 500 Companies to play a critical role in mitigating the damage and reviving the economy. India’s Top 500 Companies ‘Then and Now’: 1997 vs 2020 The India’s Top 500 Companies publication has evolved significantly over the course of 20 editions since 1997. The scope of the publication has undergone a holistic transformation over the years, moving from profiling companies on the basis of a single parameter to comprehensive analysis and comparison of leading corporates and sectors on the basis of financial parameters, insights and views. For instance, the first edition in 1997 included and ranked companies solely on the basis of market capitalisation. This edition was dominated by public sector companies, who held seven out of the top ten positions in the overall rankings. In the 1999 edition, the methodology was revised so as to include companies on the basis of their rankings on three criteria, viz., income, net profit and net worth. Moving forward, in the year 2006, additional sections such as ‘Interviews’ and ‘Sectoral Classification’ were added as new features. Further in 2007, the edition of Top 500 companies added two more features – financial comparison and insights on sectors for in-depth understanding of the companies. Dun & Bradstreet