Source: Press Information Bureau (PIB), Government of India — Vice President's Secretariat PIB Delhi Read the original release on pib.gov.in
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Vice President Shri C.P. Radhakrishnan delivered the inaugural address at the fifth Kautilya Economic Conference in New Delhi today, organized on the theme 'Resilience in the Age of Flux'. Addressing policy makers, economists, academics, business leaders and other distinguished participants, he highlighted the need for flexible, inclusive and responsive economic policies amid rapid global changes.
Vice President Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan delivered the inaugural address at the 5th Kautilya Economic Conclave in New Delhi, organised on the theme “Resilience in an Age of Flux.”
He emphasised that economic resilience cannot be separated from social resilience, and that… pic.twitter.com/KWuGXK1apZ
— Vice-President of India (@VPIndia) October 3, 2026
Referring to the legacy of the Institute of Economic Growth (IEG), the Vice President said that the Institute was founded in 1952 by Professor V.K. R. has been closely associated with India's development journey since its inception under the leadership of V. Rao. He stressed that sound policy making should be based on an understanding of ground realities, with policies remaining flexible and responsive to changing circumstances.
Shri C.P. Radhakrishnan said that in times of change, decisiveness should be embedded in consensus. He said that debate and discussion are an integral part of democracy, but ultimately they should lead to decisions that have wide acceptance. As Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, he said that free and transparent debate strengthens democracy, while rights and duties must go hand in hand.
The Vice President said that India has demonstrated that democracy and development can go together. India's economic growth and inclusive progress has been achieved within a democratic framework, while consensus building has provided greater stability and sustainability to economic reforms. He said that this experience provides an important foundation for the vision of a developed India by 2047.
Emphasizing that economic resilience cannot be separated from social resilience, the Vice President highlighted the transformative role of the JAM trinity, Direct Benefit Transfers and GST in strengthening financial inclusion, transparency and formalisation. He said more than 590 million Jan Dhan accounts have been opened by August 2026, while GST registrations have increased from about 6.65 million in 2017 to 16.5 million in May 2026.
Shri C.P. Radhakrishnan said that inclusion should go beyond bringing people into the formal economy and enable people to create value, generate income and become entrepreneurs. He highlighted the contribution of approximately 9.2 million Self Help Groups covering over 100 million rural women and the emergence of over 34.6 million Lakhpati Didis. She said the increasing participation of women in education and the economy reflects India's transformation from women empowerment to women-led development.
The Vice President emphasized that resilience is built not only in the boardroom and financial markets, but also when a woman in a village has a bank account, receives direct benefits, enters the formal economy and transforms a SHG into an enterprise. He said that more than 250 million Indians have moved out of extreme poverty, calling it a historic achievement and stressed that every state, district and village must be an equal partner in India's development journey.
Calling for stronger research and institutional partnerships, Shri C.P. Radhakrishnan welcomed the collaboration between Delhi University, Delhi School of Economics, London School of Economics and the Institute of Economic Growth. He said such partnerships can strengthen research, education, innovation and entrepreneurship along with India's growing trade ties.
Concluding, the Vice President said that India’s resilience “will come not from resisting change, but from embracing it with confidence, inclusion and a spirit of collective effort.” He expressed confidence that the deliberations at the 5th Kautilya Economic Conference will contribute meaningfully to the national effort to build a developed India by 2047.
On this occasion, Chairman, Board of Trustees of IEG, Shri N. Of. Lion; Chairman of the Board of Governors, Dr. Michael Debabrata Patra and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.
This is the official press release issued by the Press Information Bureau (PIB), and is published without changes.
