Fifth Kautilya Economic Conclave 2026 Concludes in New Delhi
The Institute of Economic Growth (IEG), in partnership with the Ministry of Finance, Government of India, successfully concluded the Fifth Kautilya Economic Conclave (KEC 2026) held from 3–5 October 2026 in New Delhi. The three-day conclave was organized under the theme 'Resilience in an Age of Flux' and brought together more than 200 policymakers, economists, academics, financial experts, and international thought leaders, including over 80 international participants from approximately 30 countries.
Inauguration and Key Participants
The Conclave was inaugurated on 3rd October 2026 by Vice-President of India Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan, who emphasized that economic resilience cannot be separated from social resilience and highlighted inclusion as a foundation of resilience in a rapidly changing world. He also underlined the importance of policymaking grounded in ground realities and responsive to changing circumstances.
Key participants included Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, who addressed the Special Plenary on 'Resilience in an Age of Flux: India's Economic Priorities' with Ms. Amélie de Montchalin, President of the Cour des Comptes, France, as discussant. Other prominent speakers included Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, Union Minister for Communications and Minister for Development of North Eastern Region, who delivered a keynote on 'Connected India, Empowered Finance: Building Trusted Digital Infrastructure for the AI Economy,' and Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister for Culture and Tourism, who spoke on 'Culture as Capital: From Heritage to Horizons.'
Discussion Themes and Focus Areas
The Conclave featured plenary sessions, interactive discussions, and focused roundtables examining challenges and opportunities arising from global economic and geopolitical shifts. Discussions centered on building resilience while sustaining growth, openness, and institutional credibility amid recurrent global shocks and uncertainty. Specific topics included global fragmentation, trade and supply chains, fiscal and structural reforms, financial markets, development finance, investment, technology and artificial intelligence, employment and skills, demographic change, food systems, sustainability, and climate finance.
A special concluding session titled 'India and the World: Adaptive by Design' was moderated by Shri N. K. Singh, President, Board of Trustees, IEG, with Dr. S. Jaishankar, Union Minister for External Affairs, delivering the special concluding address and Mr. George Yeo, former Foreign Minister of Singapore, as discussant. This session examined India's strategic autonomy, partnerships, and ability to respond flexibly to an increasingly contested global environment.
Senior Policymakers and Economic Thinkers
The event featured participation from senior policymakers including Dr. P. K. Mishra, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister; Shri Shaktikanta Das, Principal Secretary-2 to the Prime Minister and former Governor of the Reserve Bank of India; Shri Sanjay Malhotra, Governor, Reserve Bank of India; Smt. Anuradha Thakur, Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs; and Dr. V. Anantha Nageswaran, Chief Economic Adviser. International participants included Lord Nicholas Stern, Professor Michael Greenstone, and Jean-Claude Trichet, former President of the European Central Bank.
Historical Context and Organizational Leadership
The Kautilya Economic Conclave, jointly convened by the Institute of Economic Growth and the Ministry of Finance since 2022, has grown into a significant platform for dialogue on contemporary economic and policy challenges. Previous editions were held under themes 'Redefining the Future' (2022), 'Navigating a World on Fire' (2023), 'The Indian Era' (2024), and 'Seeking Prosperity in Turbulent Times' (2025). Dr. Michael Debabrata Patra, Chairman, Board of Governors, IEG, and Professor Sabyasachi Kar, Director, IEG, played key roles in guiding and organizing the Conclave.