Montek Ahluwalia On Modi Govt's Economic Report Card: What Worked & What Needs Fixing

At the BT India@100 Summit, Montek Singh Ahluwalia offers a sharp, balanced review of the Narendra Modi government's economic record. Applauding initiatives like Aadhaar continuity, Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), GST rollout, and the Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code (IBC), he also highlights areas that need urgent course correction—like rising protectionism, lack of GST simplification, and excessive centralization. Ahluwalia argues that giving states more flexibility and control over policy design is the way forward for India's economic governance. In this candid conversation, he calls for open debate, less bureaucratic overlap, and a more cooperative federal structure to meet the demands of India's diverse states.