BT India@100 Summit: Can India sustain 7%+ growth to 2047? Nation’s top minds to outline how

As India nears its 100th year of independence, a high-stakes blueprint for transforming the nation into a global economic powerhouse will take center stage at the India@100 Summit on August 8 in New Delhi.

Hosted by Business Today and presented by the Adani Group, the fourth edition of the flagship summit —  titled “Blueprint for a Developed Nation” — will see India’s top policymakers lay out the country’s most ambitious reform agenda yet.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari is set to frame infrastructure as India’s launchpad to global dominance. A longtime champion of green highways and rural logistics, Gadkari has argued that transport development must power the Vision 2047 mission. His previous remarks have made it clear: India can’t lead the world without first leading in connectivity and sustainability.

Dr Arvind Panagariya, head of the 16th Finance Commission, will outline how India could grow into a $31–50 trillion economy. In earlier statements, he’s argued this future is within reach—if annual dollar growth stays above 7% and India accelerates reforms in trade, jobs, and industrial policy. “We can be a developed nation by 2047,” he has declared, tying that target to relentless policy discipline.

Dr Montek Singh Ahluwalia, however, plans to inject a dose of realism. While he supports the 2047 vision, he’s warned it’s “aspirational” and flagged the improbability of sustaining 8% growth for two straight decades. His forecast: a per capita income of $7,500-9,600 by 2047 — transformational, but still shy of “developed” status as per global metrics.

Neelkanth Mishra, chief economist at Axis Bank, will take the long view. He’s previously described India’s current window as a once-in-a-century opportunity. “We’re attempting in 50 years what took others centuries,” he’s said, pushing for urgent urban reforms, stronger federal governance, and sharper energy strategies.

The lineup also includes NK Singh, Dr Surjit Bhalla, Dr Arunish Chawla, and Ashish Chauhan — each expected to double down on themes they’ve long championed: MSMEs, financial inclusion, demographic leverage, and regulatory modernization.

With 2047 looming, the summit won’t just chart economic strategy — it will test whether India is ready to rewrite its destiny.