'Viksit Bharat Very Much In Realm Of Imagination': Shaktikanta Das

It is not an impossibility to see India become 'Viksit Bharat' by 2047 but a goal that would be achieved, Shaktikanta Das, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, said at the 5th Kautilya Economic Conclave 2026 in Delhi.

"A leap to Viksit Bharat by 2047 is very much in the realm of imagination," Das, who was also former governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), said.

He said India's real GDP growth grew by 7.8 per cent in the first quarter with strong demand and investment conditions, but cautioned that uncertainty in the global environment can stifle global growth.

The top bureaucrat said the learnings and wisdom from Kautilya are relevant for the global economy affected by wars and energy price volatility.

While there is high public debt in big economies, India's resilience is primarily because of strengthening of governance, state capacity and macroeconomic stability, Das said, adding the country's prudent management of the external sector has strengthened macroeconomic stability.

The average growth in the last five years between fiscal 2022 and fiscal 2026 in the post-Covid period is 7.9 per cent, he said. According to him, investment in long-term productive capacity has strengthened India's macroeconomic stability.

READ | 'India Kept High Growth Amid Global Uncertainty': PM's Principal Secretary

On becoming Viksit Bharat, Das pointed at many initiatives for sustainable growth such as switching to clean energy, climate leadership, harnessing the AI revolution and strategic Atmanirbharta (self-reliance).

"As we move towards the Viksit Bharat goal, sustaining the growth momentum will be critical," Das said.

The conclave's theme was 'Resilience in an Age of Flux', with global economic shocks, trade fragmentation, investment, technology and India's economic priorities among the key areas of discussion.

The three-day conclave brought together more than 180 policymakers, economists, academics, financial experts and international thought leaders, including over 80 international participants from around 30 countries.