The meeting comes as India seeks to strengthen domestic manufacturing, improve infrastructure and expand employment opportunities amid rising geopolitical uncertainty. The prime minister is the chairman of the Aayog.
Niti Aayog vice chairman Ashok Lahiri, CEO Anurag Jain and members Rajiv Gauba, R Balasubramaniam, Joram Aniya, KV Raju, M Srinivas, Gobardhan Das and Abhay Karandikar are expected to attend, along with other senior officials of the Aayog.
People aware of the development said the prime minister is expected to hear from sectoral experts appointed as members of the Aayog to understand key developments and requirements in their respective sectors, in line with India’s vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047.
He is also expected to review the Aayog’s work in relation to the country’s long-term development objectives. The visit is unusual to meet officials, though the prime minister has regularly visited the Aayog in the past to chair the annual meeting of its governing council or meet economists ahead of the Budget for macroeconomic deliberations.
The interaction is expected to underline the importance of Niti Aayog’s role in bringing together policy research, institutional coordination and strategic planning to address India’s evolving economic and developmental challenges.
Niti Aayog, which replaced the Planning Commission in January 2015, is the government’s principal policy think tank. It works with central ministries, state governments and other stakeholders to develop strategies for inclusive and sustainable development, while promoting cooperative federalism.