Shri Bery argued that global volatility creates a window for India to act boldly on institutional reform. He noted that growth must be driven by productivity—not just public investment—and tailored at the state level. He urged think tanks to partner with state governments for place-based reform.

Shri Jayesh Ranjan presented Telangana’s success as a template for proactive statecraft. With high per capita income and leading innovation hubs like T-Hub, Telangana’s two-tier governance and private sector integration were key enablers. The replication of “Invest Telangana” by states like Tamil Nadu underscores its policy influence.

Shrimati Radha Raturi spoke of Uttarakhand’s ecological constraints and demographic pressures. With 7 crore tourists and only 1 crore residents, infrastructure strain is real. Yet the state leads the SDG Index and is promoting high-value, sustainable tourism. Green energy and agro-based industries were her priorities for balancing ecology and growth.

Shrimati Seema Bansal offered a sobering take on Punjab. Once a leader during the Green Revolution, Punjab now ranks 15th in per capita income. Stagnation in rice-wheat agriculture and high input costs have trapped the state. She urged a pivot to services, agro-processing, and niche manufacturing, warning that historical advantage can become a developmental trap.

Justice V. Ramasubramaniam delivered a wide-ranging keynote that bridged jurisprudence, economic governance, and constitutional theory. Drawing on cases like Kaushal Kishore v. UOI and the cryptocurrency judgment, he reflected on the evolution of delegated legislation. Regulation, he argued, is indispensable in a modern economy, but its expansion must be accompanied by accountability.

He warned against the fusion of legislative, executive, and judicial powers in Statutory Regulatory Authorities (SRAs), cautioning that such concentration erodes the rule of law and curbs economic dynamism. His reflections—infused with literary references like the Kamba Ramayana—underscored that governance, like justice, must marry expertise with restraint.

Dr. Ramesh Chand discussed dietary transitions, subsidy reforms, and environmental sustainability. The session highlighted the shift from cereals to high-value foods, need for agro-industrialization, and the role of climate-resilient farming.

The session explored India’s skilling challenges, the rise of gig work, and gender disparities in labour participation. Atul Tiwari emphasized industry-aligned curricula, Sanjay Chadha called for balanced gig regulations, and Kanika Mahajan advocated expanding care work and formal services to enable higher female employment.

Shri NK Singh contextualized India’s macro-fiscal policies within a post-COVID paradigm shift. Fiscal orthodoxy, once defined by fixed thresholds, now requires dynamic recalibration. Singh called for extending scrutiny to state-level finances, warning of a growing misalignment with central policies.

Dr. Arvind Panagariya added nuance, suggesting that moderate inflation (around 4%) is desirable for a developing economy. He addressed India’s long-run development goals, arguing that sustained 7–8% growth could allow India to meet its “Viksit Bharat 2047” vision. He highlighted the growing strategic space India occupies amid US-China trade decoupling. However, trade gains, he cautioned, hinge on deeper bilateral engagements.

Shri Ajay Seth provided a multilateral lens, highlighting energy security concerns dominating the Global South’s development agenda. He advocated for a rebalanced fiscal policy that promotes capital expenditure while cautioning against financing current consumption from public funds. He raised the imperative to raise the tax-to-GDP ratio and called for performance-linked fiscal transfers.