# IOS symposium charts India’s economic roadmap amid global uncertainty 2026-08-24T17:36:56+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Leading economists and policymakers gathered in New Delhi on Saturday for a symposium convened by the Institute of Objective Studies (IOS) to debate India's economic trajectory amid escalating geopolitical friction and fractured supply chains. The event, titled 'India and the Changing Multipolar World: Challenges and Opportunities', was chaired by Professor Muhammad Afzal Wani and moderated by Sheikh Nizamuddin. Speakers including Professor Surjit Bhalla, Professor Arun Kumar, and Professor Naushad Ali Azad emphasised that India must strengthen its domestic economic foundations while diversifying global partnerships. Professor Bhalla stressed the need to accelerate growth to meet the ambition of becoming a developed economy, while Professor Kumar highlighted the importance of employment, purchasing power, and the informal sector for sustainable expansion. IOS Secretary General Muhammad Alam noted that the world is facing profound transformation from trade tensions and supply chain disruptions. The symposium concluded that India must transform its demographic dividend and market potential into inclusive growth, requiring policy reforms and broader participation in development. ## Indian Opinion Analysis The IOS symposium reflects a recurring debate among Indian economists: whether headline GDP growth masks structural weaknesses in employment and demand. The focus on the informal sector and small enterprises echoes findings from the periodic labour force survey that show job creation lagging behind output. With global trade fragmented by rivalries between the US and China, India's export strategy faces headwinds. The next concrete signal to watch is the government's response in the upcoming Union Budget, which will indicate whether policy priorities shift toward domestic demand and informal-sector support or continue focusing on infrastructure and manufacturing incentives. ## Coverage - theindianawaaz.com Straightforward report of symposium proceedings with no editorial slant This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Tags: Institute of Objective Studies, New Delhi, Surjit Bhalla Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/ios-symposium-charts-indias-economic-roadmap-amid-global-uncertainty/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/ios-symposium-charts-indias-economic-roadmap-amid-global-uncertainty/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes. How this brief was made: an AI model read the report linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/