India's vision for Viksit Bharat needs infrastructure push: Amitabh Kant

Former NITI Aayog CEO and ex-G20 Sherpa of India, Amitabh Kant, said on Friday that the vision for Viksit Bharat is bold and ambitious, but to achieve it, India must significantly raise its infrastructure spending.

Sharing his thoughts on the Kautilya Economic Conclave, Kant stated on X, "Delighted to speak on infrastructure at the Kautilya Economic Conclave. The vision for #ViksitBharat is bold & ambitious. To achieve it we need to raise infrastructure spending from 4% to 6.5% of GDP, do high quality project development, monetise assets, mainstream instruments like InVITs and REITs."

He further noted that the challenge was not only about raising funds but also about execution. "Execution also demands smarter planning, innovative financing, empowered institutions, and climate-resilient design. If we confront these challenges head-on, India will not just build infrastructure, it will build the backbone of Viksit Bharat," he added.


The conclave, held in New Delhi, also saw Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman underline India's role in the global economic landscape. She highlighted India's role as a stabilising force in the global economy while cautioning against the risks of imbalances and volatility, in her inaugural address at the fourth edition of the Kautilya Economic Conclave 2025 at New Delhi.

Speaking at the conclave, themed "Seeking prosperity in turbulent times", the minister noted that the very foundations of the global order are undergoing a structural transformation, with trade flows, alliances and financial systems being reshaped by geopolitical shifts.

Stating that the present is 'turbulent', in some sense, would be to understate the scale of the challenge at hand, the minister said, adding that omnipresent uncertainty has become the new norm.

"The international order is morphing. Trade flows are being reshaped, alliances are being tested, investments are being rerouted along geopolitical lines, and shared commitments are being re-examined," Sitharaman noted.

Highlighting the importance of dialogue and openness at the three-day conclave, the finance minister said, "Let us, therefore, treat this moment not only as a crisis but as an inflexion point. Let us converse, not only to ponder upon what future awaits us but also to lay out the contours of the future we wish to create."