Brand India: the hype and reality from the man who really knows

He’s the man who branded the nation in terms we now take for granted. Yet Incredible India is more than just creative packaging: it is intelligent framing of an astonishingly complex country.

And it was to dive into his understanding of India that we welcomed Amitabh Kant, chairman of the Niti Aayog, to the Algebra stage. In a conversation that spanned tourism and business, startups and skills, Amitabh struck a consistently optimistic note – despite being countered with some stark figures and brutal ground realities – about India’s economic future. He spoke with passion about the possibilities of growth, about the long-term outcome of current economic measures, and about the aggressive startup culture that has permeated contemporary Indian society.

The audience may not have been entirely in agreement, but there was one moment of perfect consensus: when Amitabh proclaimed that the State had no business telling tourists or citizens what they could eat or drink.

Watch the full session above.