Economist India Summit 2015: Unique Take on India’s Reform Agenda

The ‘SC Insiders’ share their own unique take on the biggest reform mantras of the government.

With just over a year gone since the Narendra Modi government took office, it was a good time to take stock of the progress made so far. This is exactly what the Economist India Summit 2015, with Standard Chartered as its Founding Partner set out to do. The Summit brought together the country’s biggest opinion makers to debate and discuss the critical political, social and economic issues facing India and what they mean for us all.

But there was a departure from the norm this year. Standard Chartered (SC) went off the beaten track and opened the doors of the Summit to people from more diverse backgrounds. A food writer, a musician, a movie director and an energy researcher attended the Summit alongside the who’s who of corporate India and policymakers, studied several issues from their own unique perspective and shared their experiences. And just like that, Standard Chartered brought the Summit right within the reach of the common man. The frank and lively discussions drew upon the fresh approach, dynamic and energetic spirit of the SC Insiders and underscored the wisdom of making the Summit the meeting ground between the country’s thought leaders and the people who are most affected by government decisions.

Reform Roadmap: The Key Takeaways

The reform agenda has been at the very core of the Narendra Modi government. From the ‘Make in India’ initiative to the decontrol of diesel prices to Digital India, the government’s every decision in these respects have dominated headlines and has been keenly followed by investors, both in India and abroad. While some like the implementation of the Goods and Services tax (GST) have proved to be tricky, the positive momentum has been unmistakable. Very recently, the Modi government won over foreign investors when they decided against retrospective taxes on capital gains by foreign portfolio investors (FPIs).

The SC Insiders found food for thought on these matters of economy and reform, as debated by the speakers at the India Summit.

So what is it that impressed them the most, how did they assess the government’s performance and what were their conclusions on the reform roadmap? The SC Insiders provide their insights.