Social Inclusion Essential for Economic Resilience: Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan

Vice President Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan delivered the opening address at the fifth Kautilya Economics Conference held in New Delhi. The conference was centered on the theme 'Resilience in an Age of Flux.' Addressing policy makers, economists, academics, and business leaders, he stressed the need for resilient and inclusive economic policies in a rapidly changing global environment.

The Vice President clarified that economic resilience cannot be separated from social resilience. He stated that true resilience lies in ensuring that no citizen, enterprise, or sector is left behind in the process of development. Shri Radhakrishnan emphasized that India has proven that democracy and development can progress hand-in-hand. He noted that inclusive progress and consensus-building achieved within a democratic framework have provided greater stability to economic reforms, serving as a critical foundation for the goal of a Developed India by 2047.

Discussing financial inclusion and transparency, the Vice President described the role of the JAM trinity, Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), and GST as transformative. Sharing statistics, he mentioned that more than 590 million Jan Dhan accounts have been opened as of August 2026. Additionally, GST registrations, which stood at approximately 6.65 million in 2017, increased to 16.5 million by May 2026.

On the subject of women's empowerment, he stated that India is now moving from 'women's empowerment' toward 'women-led development.' He highlighted the contribution of 9.2 million Self-Help Groups and the emergence of over 34.6 million 'Lakhpati Didis.' The Vice President remarked that real resilience is built when a woman in a village has a bank account, connects with the formal economy, and transforms her group into an enterprise.

Shri Radhakrishnan also shared the historic achievement that over 250 million Indians have been lifted out of extreme poverty. Emphasizing the importance of research and institutional partnerships, he welcomed the collaboration between the University of Delhi, Delhi School of Economics, London School of Economics, and the Institute of Economic Growth (IEG).

Concluding the program, he stated that India's resilience does not lie in resisting change, but in embracing it with confidence and collective effort. Several dignitaries were present on the occasion, including Shri N. K. Singh, Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of IEG, and Dr. Michael Debabrata Patra, Chairman of the Board of Governors.