New Delhi [India], September 27 : Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman will inaugurate the Fourth edition of the Kautilya Economic Conclave (KEC 2025) on October 3 in New Delhi.
Union Minister for External Affairs S Jaishankar will close the proceedings with reflections on India's foreign and economic policy on 5th October 2025. The KEC 2025 will be held from October 3-5, 2025, at the Taj Palace, New Delhi.
Special luncheon sessions will include a forward-looking session on "Communications: Emerging Technologies," led by Jyotiraditya Scindia, Minister of Communications, Government of India, with leading experts on AI and digital infrastructure.
The Conclave will culminate in a high-level plenary on global macroeconomic prudence, Chaired by Dr P K Mishra, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, bringing together senior policymakers and economists to evaluate the health of the world economy and the reforms needed in financial governance.
This year's theme, "Seeking Prosperity in Turbulent Times", is relevant both in the context of India's growth aspirations and its success in navigating times of exceptional uncertainty, turbulence and changing geopolitics. Building on its rich experience, the KEC has significantly improved both its quality and international presence with 75 participants from abroad, representing over 30 countries, to focus on contemporary challenges.
The agenda blends immediate policy priorities with longer-term shifts. Sessions will address Asia's emergence as a global growth hub, the evolving BRICS architecture, financial stability, and new directions in industrial policy. Among the highlights, Jean-Claude Trichet, Honorary Governor of the Banque de France, will be in conversation with Shri Sanjay Malhotra, Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, on the challenges of central banking in turbulent times. Other international leaders include Ms. Mari Elka Pangestu, former Indonesian Minister of Trade; and Taro Kono, Member of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party.
They will be joined by Bai Chong-En, Dean of the School of Economics and Management at Tsinghua University; Lord Karan Bilimoria, Member of the UK House of Lords; Andres Velasco, Dean of the School of Public Policy at the London School of Economics; Lord Nick Stern, Professor of Economics at the London School of Economics; and Jean-Pierre Landau, former Deputy Governor of the Banque de France.
Legal voices such as Larry Kramer, President and Vice Chancellor of the London School of Economics, and Harish Salve, Senior Advocate and former Solicitor General of India, will discuss how reforms in the legal framework can underpin growth and strengthen the rule of law in a session chaired by Shri Shaktikanta Das, Principal Secretary-II to the Prime Minister. Other panels will explore universal healthcare, youth employment, urbanisation, trade and regional integration, and the risks and rewards of emerging technologies.
Networking breaks, special sessions, and interactive formats across the three days will ensure candid, solution-driven exchanges among participants.
KEC 2025 promises to be a dynamic forum, combining India's domestic priorities with global perspectives and charting pathways to prosperity in a time of turbulence.
Over the past three years, the themes of each edition have been calibrated to meet the most proximate challenges. The first edition in 2022, themed "Redefining the Future", drew participants from 21 countries for wide-ranging debates on technology, climate, and fiscal policy, alongside the inaugural Arun Jaitley Memorial Lecture by Tharman Shanmugaratnam.
In 2023, "Navigating a World on Fire" set the stage for high-level conversations on MDB reform, climate finance, and geopolitical turbulence.
The 2024 Conclave, "The Indian Era", deepened these debates with sessions on green transitions, Asia's rise, and the future of multilateralism. The KEC has become a premier space for candid, cross-border dialogue. Full deliberations from past editions are available on the IEG website.
The Institute of Economic Growth (IEG), under the Presidentship of N K Singh, initiated the Kautilya Economic Conclave in 2022 in close partnership with the Ministry of Finance. This is a "by invitation only" conclave.
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