GCPP Academic Conference — October 2025 Edition

Over October 4–5, the GCPP Academic Conference convened more than 250 learners, faculty, and guest speakers for two days of learning, dialogue, and policy exploration.

Day 1 opened with a keynote address by V. S. Seshadri on India’s Trade Amid Tariffs, Uncertainty, and a Fragmented Global Order. Drawing upon decades of distinguished service in diplomacy and international economic policy, he examined the challenges confronting India in a turbulent global landscape and the prospects that lie ahead as trade rules and alliances shift.

This was followed by a session by Akshay Jaitley on Principles of Legal and Regulatory Reform: Lessons from India’s Electricity Sector, where he explored how the principles of the rule of law, the design of reform, and the dysfunction of price signals continue to shape India’s power sector.

In Introduction to the Arthashastra, Kajari Kamal guided participants through this fascinating body of knowledge, unpacking its enduring insights on power, strategy, and governance.

Shyam Saran spoke on India’s National Security: Challenges and Opportunities, examining how the current geopolitical landscape, marked by power competition, regional complexities, and global challenges, shapes India’s strategic choices and security priorities.

Ajit Ranade closed Day 1 with Indian Macroeconomic Perspectives, where he examined India’s current macroeconomic landscape, the geopolitical headwinds it faces, and the structural drivers shaping its future.

Day 2 turned the lens toward governance, democracy, and institutional reform. In Emigration and India’s Democratic Future, Sanjaya Baru drew from his book Secession of the Successful: The Flight Out of New India to explore how India’s economic, social, and political dynamics are propelling its most skilled and mobile citizens to look outward. He reflected on what this outward movement means for India’s democratic fabric.

Ashish Kulkarni spoke on the economics of innovation in these times and its role in shaping growth and development in the context of the current global order and trade challenges.

In Lessons in State Capacity from Delhi’s Schools, Yamini Aiyar drew from her book of the same name to explore what it takes to build high-performing, purpose-driven public-sector organisations. She spoke candidly about the common pitfalls that hinder state capacity: the gap between political will and administrative follow-through, the tension between incentives and institutional capability, and the challenges of a frontline bureaucracy often seen as indisciplined or politically compromised.

Other sessions showcased the breadth of contemporary policy challenges in India. These included Anirudh Burman on The Promise of Land Reuse in India’s Cities, Shobhankita Reddy on Unearthing the Geopolitics of Critical Minerals, and Varsha Aithala on Reforming the Indian Bar: The Limits of Technological Solutions.

Participants also explored the intersection of technology and governance. Aaditeshwar Seth spoke on Leveraging Digital Public Infrastructure for Community Action, Anwesha Sen on The State of Privacy in India, and Neelina Suresh on Women in Indian Manufacturing.

A series of View from the Field sessions offered firsthand perspectives from practitioners. Saurabh Chandra shared insights in Lessons from Starting an Indian AI and Robotics Firm, Sowmya Prabhakar and Vasanthi Hariprakash reflected in A Conversation on Community and Changemaking, and Vishnu Padmanabhan offered a regional lens in A Journalist’s Guide to Asia.

Across both days, participants engaged deeply with India’s economic, political, and governance challenges—connecting theory with practice and reflecting on the role of ideas, institutions, and leadership in shaping the country’s future. The conference offered a window into the richness of policy learning at GCPP and the vibrant exchange of ideas it continues to foster.