4th GW India Conference on India’s Economic Development and U.S.-India Economic Relations

The Institute for International Economic Policy was proud to host the 4th GW India Conference on India’s Economic Development and U.S.-India Economic Relations which took place on Tuesday, April 16th, 2024 at the Elliott School of International Affairs. India has come a long way since its independence in 1947; it has reduced poverty hugely, became the world’s fifth largest economy, successfully chaired the G20 in 2023, and became the most populous country leaving India a demographic dividend that must be realized. However, India still faces numerous challenges going forward. Within this context, the Institute for International Economic Policy (IIEP) hosted its fourth GW India Conference on India’s Economic Development and U.S.-India Economic Relations. This year’s conference focused on “Making India an Advanced Economy by 2047: What Will it Take?”, and brought together prominent economists, policymakers, and experts to discuss India's strategic pathways and challenges toward becoming an advanced economy. The conference was very well received with some describing it as the best conference of India’s economy in the United States. The conference began with a keynote address by V. Anantha Nageswaran, Chief Economic Advisor, GOI on “India’s Path to An Advanced Economy: Growth and Structural Transformation”, which was immediately followed by an address by Indermit Gill, Chief Economist, The World Bank on "How Can India Avoid the Middle-Income Trap?” During the lunch keynote session Dr. Vivek Lall, Chief Executive, General Atomics Global Corporation, gave an address on "U.S.-India Technology and Defense Cooperation". The conference concluded with remarks by Raghuram Rajan, 23rd Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, and by Junaid Kamal Ahmad, Executive Vice President of MIGA. The conference also featured five panels and 15 distinguished speakers from around the world. These speakers addressed topics ranging from macro issues to trade policy, from inequality and social inclusion to climate change. This conference was co-sponsored by the Institute for International Economic Policy, the Institute for International Science and Technology Policy, the GW Center for International Business Education and Research, and the Sigur Center for Asian Studies. 

Conference Agenda:

8:30-9:00 a.m. – Breakfast and Registration

9:00-9:05 a.m. – Welcome Remarks

• James Foster, Carr Professor of International Affairs and Professor of Economics, GWU

9:05-10:15 a.m. – Opening Keynote Session   

• Chair: Alyssa Ayres, Dean, Elliott School of International Affairs
• Thematic Address: Indermit Gill, Chief Economist, The World Bank, “How Can India Avoid the Middle-Income Trap?"
• Keynote Address: V. Anantha Nageswaran, Chief Economic Advisor, GOI, “India’s Path to An Advanced Economy: Growth and Structural Transformation”

10:15-11:15 a.m. – Session 1: “India Macroeconomic Imperatives in a Post-Pandemic World”

• Chair: Ajay Chhibber, IIEP Distinguished Visiting Scholar, GWU
• Speaker: Sajjid Chinoy, J.P.Morgan, and Member, PM’s Economic Advisory Council
• Discussant: Prachi Mishra, Chief, Systemic Issues Division, IMF

11:15-11:30 a.m. – Coffee break

11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. – Session 2: “India’s Trade Policy and the Global Environment”   

• Chair: Atman Trivedi, Partner, Albright Stonebridge Group
• Speaker: Arun Kumar, former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce, Managing Partner, Celesta Capital, and former Chairman & CEO of  KPMG, India
• Discussants: Judith Dean, Professor of International Economics, Brandeis University

12:30-1:30 p.m. – Lunch Keynote Session   

• Lunch Speaker: Dr. Vivek Lall, Chief Executive, General Atomics Global Corporation, on “U.S.-India Technology and Defense Cooperation”

1:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m. – Session 3: “Reducing Inequality and Eliminating Poverty”   

• Chair: James Foster, GWU
• Speaker: Sabina Alkire, Director, Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative
• Discussants: Nandini Krishnan, Lead Economist, Poverty and Equity, South Asia, The World Bank.

2:30-3:30 p.m. – Session 4: “Social Inclusion and Empowerment”   

• Chair: Deepa Ollapally, Research Professor of International Affairs, GWU
• Speaker: Prerna Singh, Mahatma Gandhi Associate Professor of Political Science and International and Public Affairs, Brown University
• Discussant: Irfan Nooruddin, Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani Professor of Indian Politics, Georgetown University

3:30-3:45 p.m. – Coffee Break

3:45-4:45 p.m. – Session 5: “Climate Change: India’s Pathways and Challenges”   

• Chair: Maureen Cropper, Distinguished University Professor, University of Maryland
• Speaker: Mekala Krishnan, Partner, McKinsey Global Institute
• Discussants: Stéphane Hallegatte, Senior Climate Change Advisor, The World Bank

4:45-5:30 pm – Closing Session: “Pathways to India’s Progress: Breaking the Mould”   

• Chair: Vivek Arora, Deputy Director, Independent Evaluation Office, IMF
• Speaker: Raghuram Rajan, Katherine Dusak Miller Distinguished Service Professor of Finance, Chicago Booth, and 23rd RBI Governor

5:30-6:30 pm – Reception:

• Remarks by Junaid Kamal Ahmad, Executive Vice President of MIGA