Discussions during Ideas for India will include bilateral relations with the UK, India’s growth as a geopolitical power, investment opportunities in India, the importance of federalism, and a special focus on the North East.. Rahul Laud reports
Last year, the progressive think tank Bridge India hosted Bridge India’s Ideas For India. This year more than 100 business leaders from across India, as well as political leaders from seven parties across eight states have confirmed their attendance at the largest India-related conference in Europe this year, says Pratik Dattani the brain behind Bridge India.
Global advisory firm EPG’s India Week is its annual gathering of change-makers, policy, and business leaders for high-level discussions on pertinent topics, including the UK-India Free Trade Agreement.
Pratik informs that speakers confirmed include Dr Raghuram Rajan (Former Governor, Reserve Bank of India), Rahul Narwekar (Speaker of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly), Rohit Pawar (Member of Legislative Assembly, Maharashtra), Priyanka Chaturvedi (Member of Parliament, Maharashtra), Kartikeya Sharma (Member of Parliament, Haryana), Riniki Bhuyan Sarma (MD, Pride East Entertainment), Pradyot Manikya (Chairman, Tipra Motha, Tripura), Jayesh Ranjan, IAS (Principal Secretary of the Industries and Commerce, and IT Departments, Telangana), Mohammed Ali Ashraf Fatmi (National Spokesperson, JDU, Bihar), Abhinandan Sekhri (Co-Founder, Newslaundry), Arunabha Ghosh (CEO, Council on Energy, Environment and Water).
The Chief Minister of a leading state in India is also expected to attend. They will be coming especially for the flagship “Ideas for India” conference, organised alongside the non-profit think tank Bridge India.
The Financial Times recently said this would be “India’s coming decade of outperformance” and The Economist said, “This is India’s moment.” India Week seeks to celebrate these trends, across several special events on 7-12 May 2023 in Leicestershire, Oxford, and London.
It starts with an exclusive CEOs’ Golf Weekend on 7-8 May at Rutland Hall & Spa in Leicestershire, where more than 20 CEOs from India are expected to fly in especially. Thereafter, there is the Education Innovation Conference in Oxford, organised in partnership with WBR, and including Prof Jonathan Michie OBE, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford, and leadership from over 40 higher education institutions in India.
Finally, the flagship Ideas for India conference in London on 11-12 May, will include an invite-only dinner at the House of Commons and a formal dinner the next evening to celebrate closer UK-India ties.
Pratik Dattani, Managing Director of EPG, said: “India’s diversity is its strength, and by bringing together such a wide range of businesses and political leaders on one platform in London, we hope to showcase the best of India. Our attendees include some of the largest companies in Europe, including some of the leading investors in India.”
Discussions during Ideas for India will include bilateral relations with the UK, India’s growth as a geopolitical power, investment opportunities in India, the importance of federalism, and a special focus on the North East.
Pratik elaborated, “This time, we expect over 800 attendees from 10+ countries across the Week to attend. “Ideas for India 2023 is the place to engage in high-level discussions on New India. India’s economic growth rate is the highest amongst major economies today, as China struggles with a bloated infrastructure sector, local government bad debts, a zero-Covid policy and an aging population,” Pratik added.
Pratik explained , “India’s inflation rate is lower than that of the UK, the US and other major economies. As the Western world diversifies its supply chains and geopolitical dependencies away from China, India stands to benefit. At the same time, India’s institutions are under strain. Media freedom, civil liberties, rights for minorities and democratic, institutional structures that have served India well since Independence, are under threat from nationalism and associated forces.”
For more information visit www.bridgeindia.org.uk/event/ideas-for-india-2023.
India Week Itinerary
The conference is part of a wider India Week, the itinerary for which is:
· 7-8 May: CEOs Golf Retreat at Rutland Hall (Leicestershire)
· 9 May: Education Innovation Conference and Education Leaders’ Awards (Oxford)
· 11 May: Ideas for India conference with Bridge India, Parliament Dinner (London)
· 12 May: Ideas for India conference with Bridge India, Black-tie Celebration Dinner (London)
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