ET GBS 2020: Nirmala Sitharaman, S.Jaishankar, Piyush Goyal to be key speakers

New Delhi: Three key ministers from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cabinet will be speakers at the two-day Global Business Summit, presented by The Economic Times and Yes Bank.

Over March 6-7, a distinguished audience of Indian and global business leaders, policymakers and academia will hear from Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Commerce & Railways Minister Piyush Goyal.

Sitharaman, in charge of the world’s fifth-largest economy and leading the government’s battle against the sharpest slowdown in recent times, has clearly put her signature on big policy changes — cutting corporate taxes, innovating on personal income taxes, creating new funds for stalled real estate projects, and sharply increasing import duties. She’s been relentless in talking the economy up in the face of some experts’ pessimism and, at GBS, her take on Indian economy’s near future will be one of major highlights of the event.


As will be the address of the minister who’s India’s envoy to the world — Jaishankar. A star during his foreign service stint, as foreign minister Jaishankar has been making India’s case just as effectively, whether to big foreign investors or to big powers and the G20, or to influential interlocutors with questions on India’s domestic policy moves.

And then there’s Piyush Goyal, the minister overseeing one of the most complicated and consequential trade talks of all times.

Trade Deal, Reform Push
Piyush Goyal’s remit of course extends beyond shaping the Indo-US trade deal, and making policy for India’s ever-growing ecommerce sector. He’s spearheading railway reform, and therefore a major part of the economy’s infrastructure push.

So, three great reasons to be there at ET GBS, and the event offers more. Watch this space.