The chair of India’s largest conglomerate, N Chandrasekaran, has stepped down, ending a 12‑month boardroom battle with Noel Tata over leadership of Tata Sons. Chandrasekaran announced he would not seek reappointment when his term ends on February 20 next year, following reports that he could face a confidence vote at the annual meeting. Noel Tata, chair of Tata Trusts, wants his son to take a more prominent role, and last year he vetoed a resolution that had backed Chandrasekaran. The resignation leaves Tata Sons without a deputy chair or clear succession plan, adding uncertainty to the group that employs over 1 million people across IT, steel, airlines, defence and semiconductors. The move may also influence the Reserve Bank of India’s decision on a potential forced listing of Tata Sons, a shadow bank in the country’s eyes. Shares of Tata Consultancy Services fell 5 % on the announcement.

The fallout underscores the fragility of leadership in India’s biggest conglomerate and raises questions about the future direction of the Tata Group.