IIM Bangalore Conference Focuses on Public Policy Research and Self-Reliance

Bengaluru: The XXI International Conference on Public Policy & Management, organised by the Centre for Public Policy (CPP) at IIM Bangalore, is being held from September 2 to 4, 2026, with discussions centred on public policy, research and India’s approach to self-reliant development.

Themed ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’, the three-day conference brings together researchers, academics and policy practitioners through research presentations, panel discussions, workshops, policy debates and practitioner-oriented sessions.

The conference received 490 research paper submissions, of which 76 were selected for full presentations and 64 for poster presentations. The research programme covers areas including artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, agriculture and food policy, digital public infrastructure, banking and fiscal policy, labour markets, gender and women’s empowerment, health, education, industrial and innovation policy, climate and sustainability, and trade and the digital economy.

The inaugural session featured a keynote address by Dr Ashok Kumar Lahiri, Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog, on ‘Leapfrogging in Manufacturing Sector – Participation in GVCs’. He discussed India’s participation in global value chains, manufacturing capabilities and factors such as technology, infrastructure, skills, logistics and trade integration.

The conference also includes a policy panel on ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat and Self-Reliant Development Pathways’, bringing together experts from organisations including the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, UNICEF and the World Bank.

The panel discussions covered areas such as India-Africa cooperation, digital public infrastructure, trade, MSMEs, skills, social development, sustainability and institutional capacity. Participants also discussed the role of research and evidence in informing public policy and development programmes.

Alongside full-paper presentations, poster sessions are showcasing research across themes including digital public infrastructure, finance, artificial intelligence, agriculture, labour, gender, governance, health, education, industrial policy and MSMEs.

The conference continues the CPP’s annual programme on public policy and management, which has been organised since 2005 and provides a platform for researchers and practitioners to present and discuss developments in public policy and management.

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Arti Adke

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Arti Adke, hailing from a respectable family with strong principles, pursued her passion for journalism. She is a Senior Sub-Editor and Senior Reporter, leading the Education and Food pages. Arti's journey in our organization continues to thrive as she strives for journalistic excellence.

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