Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman urged business leaders to seize the moment, promising “ten steps of support for every one taken”, putting national interests forward. She highlighted the shift from protection to pragmatism, stating, “We must guard against dumping, while ensuring that Indian manufacturers — especially small and medium enterprises — get access to affordable inputs” Both ministers pushed to revive animal spirits, with Vaishnaw urging industry to invest in 25-30 key products. The 25th ET Awards reflected India’s evolving journey — from 90s optimism to global ambitions, post-crisis resilience, start-up exuberance, and now a more mature phase — focusing less on numbers and more on national interest and doing good. Kumar Mangalam Birla captured the essence, quoting his late great grandfather GD BirlA: “How one judge a company? Does the criteria depend solely on profitability? Or, is there something deeper? How much the company cares, how much it is socially involved and how it improves the quality of life for the people it serves?”