ABP Ideas of India 2026:ABP Network is set to host the fifth edition of its flagship Ideas of India Summit on February 27 and 28 at the Grand Hyatt Mumbai, bringing together influential voices from diplomacy, technology, business, entertainment and culture for two days of high‑impact conversations.
Now in its fifth year, the summit has established itself as a platform for sharp, policy‑focused dialogue that reflects both India’s evolving priorities and the wider global landscape.
Against this backdrop, one of the key sessions on Day 2 will examine a question central to the present moment: how can nations ensure good governance in an era marked by economic shifts, technological disruption and geopolitical uncertainty?
During the afternoon session, Amitabh Kant, former CEO of NITI Aayog and India’s G20 Sherpa during the 2023 Presidency, will address the theme “Ensuring Good Governance – The Age of Uncertainty”.
A Career Shaped by Reform
Over a distinguished 45-year career at the highest levels of the Government of India, Amitabh Kant has positioned himself as a governance reformer and public policy change agent. His work has spanned industrial policy, strategic economic planning and global diplomacy, often at moments of transition for the Indian economy.
As CEO of NITI Aayog, the Prime Minister-led apex policy planning agency, Kant played a central role in shaping India’s medium- and long-term development framework. His tenure saw the rollout of several high-impact national missions designed to strengthen competitiveness and accelerate structural change.
Among these were the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) Schemes aimed at boosting domestic manufacturing, the Aspirational Districts Programme, widely described as the world’s largest outcome-based governance initiative, and India’s first National AI Strategy. He also oversaw initiatives such as the National EV Mission, the National Green Hydrogen Mission, the National Mission for Battery Storage and the National Circular Economy Mission.
These initiatives reflected a consistent policy thrust: aligning governance with technology, sustainability and industrial growth.
Architect of Flagship Campaigns
Before NITI Aayog, Kant served as Secretary of the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP). During this period, he launched two flagship initiatives that reshaped India’s economic narrative, Make in India and Startup India.
Both programmes were designed to reorient India’s investment climate, encourage entrepreneurship and position the country as a manufacturing and innovation hub.
India’s G20 Sherpa: Driving Global Consensus
Kant’s role as the Prime Minister’s G20 Sherpa during India’s G20 Presidency in 2023 marked a shift from domestic reform to global coordination. As Sherpa, he led negotiations that culminated in the Leader’s Declaration, an outcome widely regarded as significant given geopolitical tensions at the time.
The Declaration carried key ambitions and commitments around artificial intelligence and climate action, including the landmark Green Development Pact.
The theme of his session, “Ensuring Good Governance – The Age of Uncertainty”, resonates strongly with current global conditions. Nations are navigating supply-chain realignments, technological disruption, climate commitments and geopolitical realignments, all while balancing domestic growth priorities.
