CNBC-AWAAZ hosted the ‘Bharat Economic Samvaad’ on May 26 in Mumbai, bringing together leading policymakers, economists, industry leaders, and market experts for discussions on India’s economic future and the country’s roadmap towards becoming a Viksit Bharat by 2047.

The day-long conclave saw participation from senior government officials, business executives, and policy experts who discussed some of the most critical themes shaping India’s growth story, including manufacturing, capital markets, artificial intelligence, urban infrastructure, exports, commodities, and emerging technologies.

The event opened with a welcome address by Anuj Singhal, Managing Editor of CNBC-AWAAZ, who spoke about India’s economic ambitions and the opportunities ahead as the country moves towards its long-term development goals. The summit then moved into a series of keynote speeches, panel discussions, and fireside chats featuring some of the country’s prominent voices from government and industry.

Union Minister for Labour & Employment, Youth Affairs & Sports, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, highlighted the government’s efforts to strengthen digital access and simplify services for EPFO subscribers. He said that from next month, EPFO members will be able to withdraw up to 75 percent of their funds through UPI-enabled systems using ATMs and Aadhaar authentication. He also said the government is working on WhatsApp-based automated services to make claims and account-related information easier to access.

Union Minister for Textiles Giriraj Singh spoke about India’s textile export diversification strategy and the need to reduce dependency on a single market. He said around 30 percent of India’s textile exports earlier went to the United States, making diversification necessary. According to him, exports are now being driven from 523 districts across 180 countries, helping the sector recover despite global economic challenges.

The conclave also featured Anuradha Thakur, Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, who discussed opportunities and challenges on the road to Viksit Bharat 2047. Dr. Ashok Kumar Lahiri, Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog, delivered a keynote session focused on what he described as “India’s Growth Story 2.0”, built around capital, consumption, and confidence.

Speaking on India’s long-term development goals, Dr. Lahiri stressed the need to focus on foundational literacy, primary healthcare, and logistics infrastructure. He said reducing logistics costs through better roads, ports, railways, and affordable electricity would be essential to accelerate India’s growth trajectory.

The event also hosted several business leaders and market experts including Vedanta Group Chairman Anil Agarwal, Rajesh Agrawal from the Department of Commerce, Hyundai Motor India MD & CEO Tarun Garg, Kotak Mahindra Asset Management MD Nilesh Shah, HDFC AMC MD & CEO Navneet Munot, and executives from Choice, Trust Group, Nuware, Generali Central Life Insurance, and Edelweiss Financial Services, among others.

Discussions throughout the conclave focused on the evolving global economic environment and India’s positioning within it. Sessions explored the future of Indian manufacturing, the role of artificial intelligence in economic growth, developments in cryptocurrency and digital finance, and the importance of strengthening India’s capital markets ecosystem.

CNBC-AWAAZ said the Bharat Economic Samvaad aimed to create meaningful conversations around the policy and economic decisions that will shape India’s future over the next two decades.

The conclave was supported by several partners including BSE as Exchange Partner, Mindspace Business Parks REIT, Choice, Generali Central Life Insurance, Definedge, the Government of Uttar Pradesh as State Partner, and Reliance Industries as Associate Partner.