The India Today Conclave South is set to return to Kochi for its seventh edition on September 29 and 30 at Kochi, bringing together prominent voices from politics, business, technology, defence, culture and society.

The two-day conclave will be held under the theme ‘Surging South’, focusing on South India’s growing political influence, economic ambitions and cultural strength. The official India Today Conclave South 2026 programme confirms the September 29-30 dates and Grand Hyatt Kochi venue.

According to an India Today press release, the organisers said the conclave will examine the region’s role in India’s economic and strategic future, with discussions spanning governance, defence, investment, education and employment, alongside conversations on cinema, culture and social change.

South India is at the forefront of India’s economic and strategic ambitions, driving advances in technology, manufacturing and enterprise, expanding its maritime trade and extending its cultural influence across languages and borders. At the same time, debates around federalism, political representation and opportunities for a new generation continue to shape the region’s priorities.

The ‘Surging South’ theme reflects this momentum and the region’s growing role in shaping India’s future.

The conclave’s political line-up includes V.D. Satheesan, Chief Minister of Keralam; Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu, Deputy Chief Minister of Telangana; Nara Lokesh, Minister for Human Resources Development, Andhra Pradesh; Ramesh Chennithala, Minister of Home, Keralam; T.G. Bharath, Minister of Industries and Commerce, Andhra Pradesh; and Santosh S. Lad, Minister for Labour and Employment, Karnataka.

The event will also feature political leaders including Asaduddin Owaisi, President of AIMIM and Member of Lok Sabha; K.T. Rama Rao, Working President of Bharat Rashtra Samithi; Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, Member of Lok Sabha; Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu, Member of Lok Sabha and Parliamentary Party Leader, TDP; Jebi Mather, Member of Rajya Sabha; Hibi Eden, Member of Lok Sabha; and Arvind Bellad, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly. The official programme also lists Anil K. Antony, K.S. Radhakrishnan and other political voices.

The conclave will also feature former election officials, defence experts and senior figures from India’s strategic ecosystem. Among them are former Chief Election Commissioner Om Prakash Rawat, former Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa, former Union Cabinet Secretary K.M. Chandrasekhar, Director General of the Indian Coast Guard DG S. Paramesh, DRDO Director General Dr B.K. Das and former DRDO chief G. Satheesh Reddy.

On the business and investment front, speakers include V.P. Nandakumar, Managing Director, Manappuram Finance; Sreekumar K. Nair, CEO, Vizhinjam International Seaport; Luxman Radhakrishnan, former Chairman, JNPT; Dr V.K. Anandan, CTO & Senior Vice-President, Astra Microwave Products and CEO, Astra Space Technologies; Sameer Joshi, CEO, NewSpace Research & Technologies; Dr V.K. Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist, Geojit Financial Services; Dr K. Paul Thomas, MD & CEO, ESAF Small Finance Bank; and C. Balagopal, Chairman, Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation and former Chairman, Federal Bank.

Technology, startups and innovation will form another important part of the discussions, with the programme featuring speakers from the aerospace, defence technology and digital sectors. The sessions will examine India’s self-reliance in defence manufacturing, the growth of new-generation businesses and the opportunities emerging across the South.

The conclave will also put the spotlight on education and the next generation, with conversations around connecting degrees with jobs and the role of young people in shaping the region’s future. Student leaders from organisations including SFI, ABVP, Kerala Students Union and the All India Democratic Students’ Organisation are also part of the programme.

The cultural line-up brings together some of the most recognisable names from cinema and the arts. Filmmaker, screenwriter and producer Adoor Gopalakrishnan, actor Shruti Haasan, actor Amala Paul and Koodiyattam artiste Kapila Venu are among the speakers, alongside violin maestro and composer Francis Xavier, dancers Ajeissh Mukundan and Alex Rapheal, and YouTuber KL Bro Biju.

The programme also includes conversations around social change, the changing financial landscape, maritime infrastructure, defence startups and the evolving role of South India in India’s economic growth. Sessions listed for the conclave include ‘Challenges of the South’, ‘Guarding The Blue Frontier’, ‘Winning back the cargo: The big transhipment bet’, ‘South India as an Emerging Financial Hub’, ‘The Southern Challenge: Federalism, Delimitation and the Politics of Power’ and ‘Master’s touch: The transforming power of cinema’.

The event will bring together voices from across sectors to discuss how the South is responding to economic, political, technological and social shifts, while also examining the region’s growing influence within the larger Indian landscape.

The India Today Conclave South 2026 is being held on September 29 and 30 at Kochi.