Democracy makes India’s reforms durable: VP Radhakrishnan

Vice-President C P Radhakrishnan on Saturday (3 October 2026) said India's democratic framework made its economic reforms durable and inclusive, even if it sometimes slowed decision-making. Speaking at the fifth Kautilya Economic Conclave in New Delhi, he said consensus-building helped reforms move forward and secured broad support. Business Standard reports he added that benefits of growth must reach every section of society, else people, especially youth, could lose faith in democracy.

Radhakrishnan pointed to India's 7.8 per cent GDP growth in the first quarter of FY27, its upgrade by a Japanese credit rating agency, and the government's record of pulling more than 250 million people out of poverty. He called for flexible policymaking that accounts for global shifts and village realities, citing China's approach. The Hindu Business Line reports he stressed that economic resilience required broader participation through financial inclusion, direct benefit transfers, GST formalisation, and women's self-help groups.

The three-day conclave, themed 'Resilience in an Age of Flux', runs from 3 October to 5 October in New Delhi.