Leadership Drives State Growth: Arvind Panagariya On India's Top States By 2047

At the BT India@100 Summit, Dr Arvind Panagariya, Chairman of the 16th Finance Commission, shares rare insights on the regional growth imbalance across Indian states. In conversation with Business Today’s Siddharth Zarabi, he argues that visionary leadership makes the biggest difference—citing Gujarat and Odisha as powerful examples. Dr Panagariya also lists India’s top 8 high-income states and predicts which ones—like Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Telangana—are most likely to reach Viksit Bharat levels well before 2047. A sharp analysis of India's state-wise development trajectory, migration trends, and the growing role of coastal economies.