FM Sitharaman To Inaugurate Kautilya Fourth Economic Conclave On October 3

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will inaugurate the 4th Kautilya Economic Conclave with the theme 'Seeking Prosperity in Turbulent Times' here on October 3. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will close the proceedings with reflections on India's foreign and economic policy on October 5, the Finance Ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

The three-day 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, it added.

Building on its rich experience, KEC has significantly improved its quality and international presence with 75 participants from abroad, representing over 30 countries, to focus on contemporary challenges, it noted.

Special luncheon sessions will include a forward-looking session on 'Communications: Emerging Technologies' led by Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia with leading experts on AI and digital infrastructure.

The conclave will culminate in a high-level plenary on global macroeconomic prudence, chaired by PK 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, the ministry said.

'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,' it added.

The ministry further said 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 RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra on the challenges of central banking in turbulent times. Other international leaders include 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 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.

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 Institute of Economic Growth (IEG), under the Presidentship of NK Singh, initiated the Kautilya Economic Conclave in 2022 in close partnership with the Ministry of Finance. This is a 'by invitation only' conclave.