FinMin's annual Delhi Economics Conclave to be revived under new name

The Finance Ministry’s annual marquee event for policy discussions — the Delhi Economics Conclave — is set to make a comeback after being discontinued in 2015. Renamed the Kautilya Economic Conclave, it is likely to be held in June or July, Business Standard has learnt. The Delhi Economics Conclave used to be held in November or December. 

For its latest iteration, the economics division of the Finance Ministry has tied up with think-tank Institute of Economic Growth (IEG). 

While details are still being finalised, including the theme of the conclave, those expected to address the gathering may include Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Finance Secretary TV Somanathan, Economic Affairs Secretary Ajay Seth, Chief Economic Advisor V Anantha Nageswaran, among others.

Ministers and bureaucrats from other departments, and advisors, including Niti Aayog vice-chairman Suman Bery, and fifteenth finance commission (15th FC) chairman NK Singh, may also address the event.

This apart, independent Indian and global economists and heads of various thinktanks may also attend and address the Conclave. It is still being decided whether the event will be held virtually or in-person.

One of the addresses may be a memorial lecture dedicated to former finance minister Arun Jaitley. This may be addressed by Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Singapore's senior minister and coordinating minister for social policies, who has been a regular in the conclave and summit circuit in Delhi.

The last Delhi Econo­mic Conclave, organised under former CEA Arvind Subramanian’s leadership in November 2015. It was addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Jaitley, the then DEA Secretary and now RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das, then cabinet secretary Pradeep Kumar Sinha, then RBI governor Raghuram Rajan, PayTM founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma, among others. The theme of the conclave was ‘Realising India’s Jandhan Aadhar Mobile (JAM) vision’.