India's top business leaders, C-level executives, senior policy makers, prominent academicians, and industry experts have been congregating at a shared platform – the Economist India Summit. As an annual event, the Summit brings together the country's most eminent minds for reviewing policy, economic, social and political issues and exploring business opportunities. Committed to improving the state of the nation, this event features powerful speakers, vociferous debate, value-add panels and actionable outcomes.
Yet amidst the melee of thought-provoking debate and action, you will rarely find the prime target audience – the common man, who is directly impacted by these events. Such a Summit can help promote a culture of inclusion, collaborative dialogue and joint empowerment. Involving the public can add a unique perspective and can help translate key takeaways into common parlance, so that they become relevant to citizens.
To address this gap and understand the common man's perspectives about the Economist India Summit, Standard Chartered, its founding partner, invited four special guests to attend, share their learnings and provide their unique insights into what this landmark event meant to them and the country.
Below are the unique perspectives shared by four #SCInsiders - Nandita Iyer, Nutrition Expert and Food Writer; Raj Kaushal, Film Maker and Producer; Siddharth Singh; Energy Researcher and Founder of Disruptions Collective; and Ankur Tewari, Musician and Programming Head at Pepsi MTV Indies.
- Transforming India realistically, one step at a time
The Indian Government has come a long way in openly accepting and conversing about various critical issues that the country faces. Besides working towards problem solving, realistic timelines have been set to achieve a number of reforms. Going forward, the Government aims to stay connected and available to citizens, thus ensuring that digital transformation is the key growth driver.
- Perceptions about the Indian business climate
Perceptions of business leaders regarding the economic climate and the business ecosystem are greatly shaped by their experience and their diverse backgrounds. Consequently, perceptions influence important business decisions and outcomes.
- India's Tax Terrorism: Kicking the habit
Given the steep taxes in the country, tax terrorism is highly prevalent. This not only tarnishes the country's image, but creates an environment that is not conducive to foreign investment. Efforts are being made to simplify the process of taxation, improve the flexibility of age-old laws, reduce high rates, and revamp the labyrinthine taxation system.
- Smart Economics: Empowering people and accelerating growth
The Government is no longer projecting India as a balancing power to the rest of Asia. Instead, it is encouraging people to innovate and drive change, lead others and challenge the Government and its policies. All efforts are on to improve the nation's economic progress and leadership stance.
This was a Summit with a difference, involving people from all walks of life. To know more about the dynamic takeaways from the Summit, listen to what the #SCInsiders have to say:
Including the common man in discussions and decisions about governance and delivery systems empowers citizens and ensures action. The Summit can go beyond just a melting pot of ideas; it can become a game changer for the nation.
The article is sponsored by Standard Chartered, founding partner of The Economist India Summit 2015