Feb 12 2025 to Feb 12 2025 6:30 p.m.

Where

Bangalore International Centre

7 4th Main Rd, Stage 2, Domlur 560071

Event Description

The Union Budget on February 1 was crucial—it marked the first full-fledged budget of PM Modi’s third term and sets the course for Viksit Bharat@2047. The government has repeatedly claimed that India is on track to become the world’s third-largest economy.

Yet, concerns persist. The second quarter of FY25 recorded a modest 5.4% growth—raising the question: Is India losing momentum? Global economic uncertainties, shifting trade policies, and rising protectionism add further complexity.

Does this Budget introduce decisive measures to reignite growth amid these headwinds? Can a bold move—such as significantly raising the non-taxable income threshold—spur consumption?

This discussion will take a sharp, analytical look at Budget 2025—its promises, its pitfalls, and its potential impact on India’s economic trajectory.
Speakers
Charan Singh
CEO & Founder Director, EGROW Foundation

Dr. Charan Singh is the CEO and Founder Director, EGROW Foundation. He is also the Former Chairman of Punjab & Sind Bank. He continues to pursue his academic interests by regularly teaching courses on Macro, Monetary Policy, Global Economics (International Finance) and contemporary issues on Indian Economy at IIM Visakhapatnam and IIM Rohtak.

Earlier, he was the RBI Chair Professor of Economics at the prestigious Indian Institute of Management Bangalore, India; Senior Economist at the IMF, Washington DC (August 2009-December 2012); and Research Director (Economic Policy, Debt Management; 1997-2009) at the RBI where he joined as Research Officer in the economics department in 1984. He started his career in 1983 as management trainee in Punjab National Bank. Among other positions, Dr. Singh served on the Board of NHB and NABFINS.

His expertise is on Fiscal Policy (especially Market Borrowings, Debt Management); Monetary Policy (especially Public Sector Banks, Interest Rates, Inflation Targetting); Financial Markets (especially Money Market, Financial Inclusion) and he has worked extensively on issues like External Trade, International Reserves, Global Hunger Index, Old Age Pension, other development issues related to India’s Growth and Public Policy.

Dr. Singh has published extensively and has two academic books to his credit, on published by Springer and the other by Cambridge. He has also contributed significantly in public domain through writings in professional journals. He also contributes in discussions on current affairs in leading newspapers and important TV channels.

Dr. Singh completed M.Phil in Applied Economics from JNU, Delhi and PhD in Economics from the University of New South Wales, Sydney in 1997. He followed it up with post-doctoral studies at Department of Economics, Harvard University from Aug 2003 to Aug 2004 and Stanford University from August 2004 to Jan 2006.
Narayan Ramachandran
Emerging Market Investor

Narayan Ramchandran is father of two girls, husband of a writer, social entrepreneur, columnist and  investor. He worked on Wall Street (mostly at Morgan Stanley) for over 20 years, most recently as head of global emerging market investing and then country head of Morgan Stanley in India.

Narayan is Lead Independent Director and Chairman of TeamLease Services.  He is also the co-Chairman of Unitus Capital, India’s largest social enterprise bank, Chairman of Vivriti Asset Management, and UC Inclusive Credit, which are pioneering firms working to bring credit to underserved markets. He serves on the Advisory Council of the Centre for Wildlife Studies.

Narayan is co-founder and Senior Fellow at the Takshashila Institution. He received a B.Tech. in Chemical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay and an M.B.A. from the University of Michigan. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA). He writes a fortnightly column titled A Visible Hand for The Mint newspaper.