The 5th Kautilya Economic Conclave (KEC 2026) will be held in New Delhi from October 3 to 5 under the theme “Resilience in an Age of Flux”, bringing together policymakers, economists, academics, financial experts and international thought leaders to deliberate on emerging economic and policy challenges.
The three-day conclave will bring together more than 180 participants, including over 80 international participants from around 30 countries. The discussions will cover a range of issues related to economic growth, macroeconomic stability, investment, technology, global trade and financial resilience.
The Kautilya Economic Conclave is an initiative of the Institute of Economic Growth (IEG), organised in partnership with the Ministry of Finance, Government of India. First convened in 2022, the conclave has emerged as a forum for dialogue on contemporary economic and policy challenges.
Earlier editions were held under the themes “Redefining the Future” in 2022, “Navigating a World on Fire” in 2023, “The Indian Era” in 2024 and “Seeking Prosperity in Turbulent Times” in 2025.
Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan will deliver the inaugural address on October 3. The inaugural session will examine how economic policy can build resilience while maintaining growth, openness and institutional credibility amid recurring global shocks and uncertainty.
A special plenary on “Resilience in an Age of Flux: India’s Economic Priorities” will focus on sustaining growth, maintaining macroeconomic stability and expanding investment amid global fragmentation, technological disruption and recurrent shocks. Union Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will deliver the special address, with France’s Cour des Comptes President and former Minister Amelie de Montchalin as discussant.
The concluding session, “India and the World: Adaptive by Design”, will be moderated by IEG President, Board of Trustees, N. K. Singh. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will deliver the special concluding address, with former Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo as discussant. The session will examine India’s approach to strategic autonomy, international partnerships and an increasingly uncertain global environment.
Technology and the digital economy will also feature prominently at the conclave. Union Minister for Communications and Development of North Eastern Region Jyotiraditya M. Scindia will deliver the keynote address at the plenary “From Connectivity to AI: The New Architecture of the Digital Economy”. Discussions will focus on digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence, communications networks, productivity, competition and trust.
Union Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat will deliver the keynote address on “Culture as Capital: From Heritage to Horizons”.
The opening plenary, “A World Priced for Risk”, will examine the impact of energy shocks, supply-chain disruptions and trade restrictions on macroeconomic management, investment and resilience. The session will be chaired by Lord Nicholas Stern, while Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister P. K. Mishra will deliver the keynote address.
The conclave will also feature Shaktikanta Das, Principal Secretary-2 to the Prime Minister and former Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, as keynote speaker in the session “Kautilya and a Resurgent India: Lessons for Emerging Markets”.
The role of central banks in a volatile global environment will be discussed in the plenary “Central Banking in an Age of Flux”. RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra will deliver the special address at the session, chaired by Jean-Claude Trichet, former President of the European Central Bank and former Governor of the Banque de France.
The agenda will cover domestic and global economic issues including fiscal federalism, industrial policy, capital-market development, regulatory oversight, development finance and mobilisation of domestic and foreign capital for long-term investment.
International sessions will examine Europe’s growth and competitiveness challenges, its economic relationship with Asia, global imbalances, debt and financial stability, structural transformation in China, and Japan’s role in economic security, technology and connectivity in the Indo-Pacific.
A dedicated plenary titled “Balancing Contradictions in the Age of Flux” will examine competing strategic and economic relationships and the challenges of preserving strategic autonomy and economic interests.
The conclave will also discuss the impact of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies through sessions such as “The New Tech Order: Power, Platforms, AI and Regulatory Competition” and “Humans and Machines: Work, Skills and Education in the AI Age”.
Other sessions will focus on climate resilience, multilateral development banks, healthcare and global health security, urbanisation, agriculture, demographic change and the future of work. Discussions on agriculture and food systems will examine resilience amid climate uncertainty and trade disruptions.
The conclave will further explore changing global trade and investment networks. A plenary on “From Globalisation to Fragmentation: Rewiring Trade Networks” will examine how strategic rivalry, industrial policy and economic security are reshaping trade, investment and supply chains.
Another session, “The New Growth Corridor: Reimagining Asia-Africa Economic Partnerships”, will focus on opportunities for greater trade, investment, infrastructure and development partnerships between Asia and Africa.
The three-day event will include plenary sessions, interactive parallel sessions and invitation-only closed-door roundtables. The roundtables will focus on issues such as attracting foreign direct investment and mobilising domestic capital for long-term investment.
The Kautilya Economic Conclave 2026 is a by-invitation-only event.
