Speeches & Media Interactions

Good afternoon and Namaskar. Thank you Alfred for those insightful opening remarks. I must mention that Alfred led the IMF’s Article IV India mission for the 2021 consultations. The sheer weight of that experience and deep understanding of Indian conditions is reflected in his views. I would also like to commend Alfred and his co-editors for a comprehensive evaluation of India’s financial system and very valuable recommendations on the way forward in a recent book evocatively titled “India’s Financial System: Building the Foundation for Strong and Sustainable Growth”.

I am glad to see Mr Thomas Helbling from the Asia and Pacific Department of the IMF in this session, and I look forward to hearing from him.

I thank our host and SEACEN EXCO Chair, the National Bank of Cambodia, the SEACEN Centre and Dr. Mangal Goswami, Executive Director, and the BIS for inviting me to speak in this distinguished forum. In particular, I am grateful to Deputy Governor Sum Sannisith for so graciously writing to me to participate in this 16th SEACEN-BIS High Level Seminar.

The Backdrop

It is widely believed that during the next two decades – if not for longer – the centre of gravity of the global economy will shift eastwards to Asia. The IMF’s Regional Economic Outlook for Asia and the Pacific indicates that this region will contribute about two-thirds of global growth in 2023 itself. India will account for a sixth of world output growth in 2023 and 2024. In terms of market exchange rates, India is the fifth largest economy of the world and the third largest economy on the basis of purchasing power parity. Our assessment is that by 2027, India will be a US$ 5 trillion economy and the third largest in the world even by market exchange rates. A key driver in this transformation is likely to be the window of a demographic dividend that opened up in 2018 and will probably last till the 2040s, going by fertility and mortality rates. Already, we are the most populous country in the world at 1.4 billion and the youngest at an average age of 28 years. The other major catalyst of India’s progress will be the pace and quality of financial sector development, which is the theme of my address today. It is anchored by a few slides.

A very good evening to all of you. It is indeed a pleasure to be here and participate in the 31st annual management convention of Thrissur Management Association. As Socrates once said, "The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing." Little did we know, three years back, that we would face one of the greatest challenges of our lifetime - a pandemic that would upend our daily lives and force us to navigate through unknown, unforeseen, and unanticipated turbulenc

1. A very good morning to all of you. It is indeed a pleasure to be here amidst all of you today at the 17th annual conference of FEDAI. These annual events of FEDAI provide an excellent opportunity for the exchange of ideas and thoughts among the foreign exchange market participants and I am sure this one will be no exception. 2. Today, as I speak to the market veterans assembled here in Cairo, it strikes me that it is fitting perhaps that this conference is being he

It is my pleasure to be part of the Annual FIMMDA1-PDAI2 Conference today. I would like to place on record the Reserve Bank’s appreciation of the critical role played by FIMMDA and PDAI in the development of financial markets in India over the years, and more recently, in partnering with the RBI in guiding the markets and the economy through the turbulent times of COVID-19, the war in Ukraine and the turmoil in financial markets. 2. Today, as I speak before keen marke

I. Introduction: Indian Financial System- Looking back and looking ahead in the 75th year of Indian Independence Distinguished members of banking fraternity, ladies, and gentlemen It is a privilege to deliver the twelfth memorial lecture honouring the great legacy of late Shri R.K. Talwar. I feel thankful and humbled for this opportunity as an occasion to remember personality like Shri R.K. Talwar given his contribution to the banking industry. India recently celebrat

A very warm good morning to you all. I wish to thank the State Bank of India for inviting me to deliver the keynote address today. I sincerely appreciate the efforts of the organising team in putting together this virtual conference which has now become a new normal. Banks and other financial entities are today at the forefront of the country’s counter measures against the economic impact of COVID-19. They are the transmission channels for RBI’s monetary, regulatory a

Ladies and Gentlemen, I am truly honoured to deliver the Fedbank Hormis Memorial Foundation commemorative lecture. The illustrious list of the previous years’ speakers indicates the kind of significance this commemorative lecture has acquired over the years. The late Shri K.P.Hormis, founder of Federal Bank, was a visionary and left behind an institutional set up in the form of Federal Bank which has been doing yeoman service for well over seventy five years. The Fedb