What Pahle India Foundation does

Pahle India Foundation is an Indian non-profit policy think tank registered as a Section 8 company, founded in 2013 and headquartered in New Delhi with regional offices in Mumbai and Guwahati. It operates five verticalised programmes: i-LEAP (lead poisoning elimination), PAVANA (air pollution), CoDED (data-driven economic decision-making), ELS (employment and labour), and EoDB (ease of doing business and e-commerce), with a newer AI & Technology Policy Projects line. The foundation's core 'product' is policy research, advisory, and stakeholder convening delivered through reports, op-eds, and project-based engagements; it does not build or sell technology products.

The organisation serves three principal customer segments: central and state government ministries (Finance, Commerce, MSME, Skill Development, Environment; state governments of Maharashtra, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Telangana), domestic and multinational corporates (Walmart, HSBC, HCL, MUFG, NSE), and multilateral/philanthropic bodies (Gates Foundation, UN agencies, UNDP). Its business model is grant- and partnership-funded: it secures programme funding from philanthropic foundations, corporate CSR and partnerships, and multilateral grants, then delivers advisory engagements, joint research, and convenings for government and corporate clients. Output scale since inception is cited at 120+ publications, 260+ op-eds, 39+ projects, and 115+ stakeholder engagements.

The foundation's senior leadership is drawn from senior policy and regulatory backgrounds, including former NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Dr. Rajiv Kumar, a former RBI Deputy Governor, a former IBBI Chairperson, and ex-bureaucrats, which underpins its access to government decision-makers. Strategic milestones include a June 2023 MoU with the Government of Assam, an August 2024 e-commerce report launched by Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, and co-founding of the global 'Partnership for a Lead-Free Future' at the September 2024 UN General Assembly.

Name

Pahle India Foundation

Legal name

Pahle India Foundation

Website

https://pahleindia.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Pahle India Foundation is a New Delhi-headquartered non-profit policy think tank, founded in 2013, that produces research and advisory across economic reform, public health, environment, and AI governance for Indian central and state governments, corporates, and multilateral partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Policy Research and Advisory Services

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Think Tanks, Policy Research & Public Policy Institutes (BPAGAFAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Sector & Policy Consulting (BPAHACAN), Economic Research, Statistics & Policy Advisory (BPADAMAJ), Public–Private Partnerships (PPPs) for Global Health (HLAJAOAD)

Keywords

• Policy research services
• Public policy advisory
• Government consulting
• Economic research analysis
• Think tank services

Headquarters

HQ city

New Delhi

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Research and Advisory Services: Policy research and advisory services provided to government bodies, corporations, and international organizations on India's economic development, trade, and public policy.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Pahle India Foundation (PIF) is a "think-and-action tank" that produces evidence-based policy research and translates it into real policy impact through on-ground pilots, state advisory, and stakeholder engagement. It operates dedicated verticals including the Center of Data for Economic Decision-Making (CoDED), i-LEAP for lead elimination, PAVANA for air pollution, Employment & Livelihood Systems (ELS), and an Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) government practice, offering policy research, advisory, and implementation support to government bodies, corporations, and international organizations.

Product overview

Pahlé India Foundation operates as a 'think-and-action tank' that produces evidence-based policy research and translates it into real policy impact. The organization does not offer a traditional software product but rather provides a portfolio of research publications, policy verticals, and advisory services. Key offerings include the Center of Data for Economic Decision-Making (CoDED), environmental health initiatives (i-LEAP and PAVANA), Employment & Livelihood Systems, Ease of Doing Business practice, and Corporate Advisory services. The organization has published 120+ reports and maintains Knowledge Hubs covering Agriculture, Climate Change, Energy, Finance and Macroeconomics, International Relations, One Health, and Trade, Industry and Digital Economy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• i-LEAP (India Lead Elimination Action Partnership): Centre of Excellence focused on eliminating lead poisoning in India through partnerships with AIIMS and other health institutions
• PAVANA - Centre for Air Pollution and Environmental Health
• CoDED (Center of Data for Economic Decision-Making)
• ELS (Employment & Livelihood Systems)

Products and services

• Publications and Policy Reports

Quantifiable outcome

• Online vendors generated 15.8 million jobs in India, including 3.5 million for women
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

24 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Partnership for a Lead-Free Future (UN)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 September 2024PIF became founding member of this consortium launched at the UN General Assembly in New York. PIF is the only Indian organization among 37 global partners. Led by UNICEF and USAID.
• Government of AssamcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 June 2023MoU signing ceremony with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for strengthening economic planning and development in Assam.
• National Stock Exchange of India (NSE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint initiative on Ease of Doing Business reports and NSE-PIF Financial Sector Policy Briefs series. Report launches attended by NSE leadership including MD & CEO Ashishkumar Chauhan and Chief Economist Dr. Tirthankar Patnaik.
• AIIMS GuwahaticoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMoU signed in May 2026 to tackle lead exposure across Northeast India, bringing together PIF's i-LEAP center of excellence with AIIMS medical expertise.
• Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMoU with IARI Division of Soil Science & Agricultural Chemistry for agricultural research collaboration.
• MUFGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for high-level roundtables on decarbonising heavy industry and transportation, and India-Japan collaboration in waste management.
• Ministry of Finance, Government of IndiaflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment ministry partnership for policy research and economic analysis.
• Ministry of AYUSH, Government of IndiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on research regarding yoga's global influence, including International Day of Yoga activities.
• Ministry of Electronics & IT (MeitY), NeGDcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partnership for digital inclusion and technology policy research.
• Ministry of Culture, Government of IndiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for cultural policy research and heritage-related initiatives.
• HSBCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partnership for economic research and policy dialogue.
• HCLcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partnership for technology and policy research initiatives.
• Gates FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation partnership for development research and public health initiatives.
• WalmartcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partnership for MSME and supply chain research.
• Observer Research Foundation (ORF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with leading Indian think tank for collaborative policy research.
• The Convergence FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation partnership for research and policy initiatives.
• Global Alliance for a Sustainable PlanetcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational partnership for sustainable development research.
• Diageo IndiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partnership for responsible drinking and policy research.
• ICMR-NIRDHDScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Indian Council of Medical Research for health data research.
• Kotak Mahindra Asset Management CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFinancial sector research partnership.
• Directorate of Economics & Statistics, Government of AssamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState government partnership for economic data and planning.
• Directorate of Economics & Statistics, Government of Madhya PradeshcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState government partnership for district-level economic planning in MP.
• Government of Uttar PradeshcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState government partnership for economic planning and policy research.
• Government of Arunachal PradeshcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnerships with Arunachal Pradesh Tourism and Arunachal State Rural Livelihoods Mission.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Observer Research Foundation (ORF): India's largest independent policy think tank. Direct peer to PIF — both produce evidence-based Indian policy research, partner with government ministries, and operate 'think-and-action' models. PIF even has a formal partnership with ORF.
• Centre for Policy Research (CPR): One of India's oldest and most-respected policy think tanks, based in Delhi. Direct peer to PIF in the Indian domestic policy research space, with overlapping verticals in governance, economic policy, and state-level engagement.
• National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER): India's leading economic policy research institute. Direct peer to PIF in economic data, macroeconomic research, and government advisory — NCAER's work on consumer sentiment and manufacturing GVA closely parallels PIF's CoDED vertical.
• Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER): Top-tier Indian economic policy think tank with strong focus on trade, industry, and regulatory reform. Direct peer to PIF's trade, Ease of Doing Business, and digital economy verticals, with similar government and international donor base.
• Carnegie India: Global Carnegie Endowment's India center. Direct peer in producing high-quality Indian policy research with international profile, competing for the same ministerial engagement and global media attention.
• Brookings India: India arm of the Brookings Institution, focused on economic and development policy. Direct peer for senior-level policy research targeting the Indian central government and corporate advisory relationships.
• Gateway House: Indian Council on Global Relations: Mumbai-based foreign policy and economics think tank. Direct peer to PIF in producing independent Indian policy research with a corporate advisory practice and a Mumbai base mirroring PIF's regional office.

Emerging players

• India Development Foundation (IDF) / ORF America: India-focused diaspora policy engagement. Emerging peer in the international Indian policy space, sharing donor and government engagement models with PIF's international partnerships.

Others

• Pratham Education Foundation: One of India's largest education-focused NGOs, registered under FCRA and Indian law. Not a direct peer in policy research, but a comparable large Indian non-profit with diversified corporate and international funding and government MoUs.
• Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) Research: Industry chamber producing policy research and engaging central government. Not a direct peer but a relevant adjacent organization that competes for the same ministerial advisory mandates and corporate policy budgets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/pahleindia
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCBmKViz17YC28o8pmvo_2OQ
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pahle-india-foundation
• Facebookfacebook.com/pahleindia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Pahle India Foundation