india@2047: Amitabh Kant Charts the Next Decade of Vision, Reforms, and Resilience at PAFI’s 12th Annual Forum
New Delhi (Delhi) – September 19, 2025 – “Amitabh Kant, Senior Adviser, Fairfax, Former G20 Sherpa, India, and Former CEO, NITI Aayog, today delivered a keynote address as Chief Guest for the session ‘Vision, velocity and the road to 2047’ at PAFI’s 12th Annual Forum. In an insightful fireside chat, Mr. Kant reflected on India’s transformational journey over the past decade, highlighting key milestones and achievements. Drawing from his extensive experience and engagement with monumental initiatives such as Make in India, Startup India, and India’s G20 Presidency, Mr. Kant shared success stories, learnings, and critical reflections for policymakers. His insights offered a profound understanding of India’s growth trajectory and the pivotal reforms that have made the Indian economy future ready.”
“India is on an accelerated trajectory to become a developed nation by 2047, fueled by a ‘scorching scale of growth’ and a commitment to free enterprise. We envision a $10 trillion economy by 2030, lifting all citizens out of poverty and achieving exemplary social outcomes. This transformation hinges on shifting 25% of our workforce to manufacturing, making exports a key driver, and ensuring a fully digital, paperless government. We will continuously launch grand challenges like ‘Vajra’ and ‘Gyan’ to spur innovation. We are building our own foundational AI models, not merely to compete, but to responsibly transform the lives of our citizens, particularly in rural areas, and to dramatically improve health and nutrition. Our transition to renewables is a global success story, with the ambition to become the world’s largest exporter of green hydrogen by 2030. India is innovating, challenging outdated global institutions, and charting a unique, sustainable path forward in a period of global conflict and climate urgency.”
Mr. Kant emphasized that in an increasingly uncertain and disruptive global order, India must focus on policies that ensure stability while also building resilience, equity, and sustainability into its growth model. Outlining priorities for the next decade, he stressed the urgency of creating competitive advantage in sunrise sectors such as green hydrogen, AI-driven solutions, advanced manufacturing, and sustainable urban infrastructure to secure India’s rightful place among the top three global economies by 2047.
Mr. Kant highlighted India’s demographic dividend as one of the most powerful indigenous assets that can shape the nation’s long-term growth trajectory. Calling it India’s biggest strength, he emphasized the urgent need to transform this vast population base into a reservoir of skilled talent and innovation. He underlined that achieving this vision and fast-tracking the execution of national priorities will depend heavily on deep public–private collaboration. According to him, partnerships between the government and industry hold the potential to drive India forward, enabling the creation of sectoral ecosystems that are not only globally competitive but also sustainable and resilient in the face of future challenges.
“Our vision for 2047 is not merely economic prosperity, but a truly equitable, sustainable, and technologically advanced India that leads on the global stage. This requires PAFI and the private sector to play a crucial role in fostering free enterprise and challenging the status quo, while the government acts as the ‘first buyer’ for innovative solutions. We must leverage our demographic dividend by investing in human capital, ensuring that our youth are equipped with the skills for the future, and that our foundational AI models are built for responsible, citizen-centric transformation.”
The welcome note was delivered by Subho Ray, Past President, PAFI and President, Internet and Mobile Association of India. The event was moderated by Shivnath Thukral, Vice President and Secretory, PAFI with Raman Sidhu, Past President and Founding Member, PAFI as the discussant. The vote of thanks was delivered by Vaishali Chopra, Head- Public Affairs and Communication, Yara India.