Policy, Tech, and Geopolitics Take Centre Stage at Pune Public Policy Festival 2026
Policy, Tech, and Geopolitics Take Centre Stage at Pune Public Policy Festival 2026
18 December, Pune: The Pune Public Policy Festival (PPPF) returns for its third edition on January 9–10, 2026, at the historic Gokhale Institute of Politics & Economics, bringing together some of India’s most influential voices in governance, technology, industry, and academia. Designed to advance India’s policy conversation through rigorous, evidence-driven dialogue, PPPF 2026 will centre on the theme “Decoding Technology and Society”, reflecting the country’s evolving technological landscape and its implications for its citizens and global competitiveness.
The two-day festival will delve into critical issues shaping India’s policy future including AI governance, financial innovation, cultural IP, mental health in the AI age, and the resilience of India’s institutional architecture. With its focus on actionable ideas and cross-sector collaboration, PPPF continues to position itself as a key platform for shaping policy thinking for a rapidly transforming nation. This year’s speaker line-up brings together senior policymakers, technologists, investors, and industry leaders for two days of focused, policy-oriented discussions.
Day 1 will examine the impact of technology on financial services; the current landscape and future direction of science and technology policy in India; the role of technology in supporting mental health systems; and the implications of technology for higher education. The day will conclude with a fireside conversation with General Anil Chauhan, Chief of Defence Staff, moderated by Nitin Gokhale.
Day 2 will focus on India’s AI start-up ecosystem, global tech wars and its implications for India, the integration of AI across government and industry, and a high-level dialogue on strengthening state capacity in the digital era.
Among the prominent voices at PPPF 2026 are Abhay Karandikar (Secretary, Department of Science & Technology, Government of India), Shashank Mani Tripathi (MP, Lok Sabha), Ashish Dhawan (CEO, The Convergence Foundation), Vijay Gokhale (Former Foreign Secretary of India), Mayur Datar (VP of Applied Sciences, Microsoft), Pranay Kotasthane (Deputy Director, Takshashila Institution), Dr. Aniruddha Malpani (Founder, Malpani Ventures), Rishi Bal (Head, BharatGen), Ninad Chhaya (Senior VP of Corporate Development, Reliance Games), and Anchal Jajodia (Co-Founder, Cybrilla).
The programme features distinctive segments such as “Building India’s Cultural IP through Gaming,” “Global Tech Wars and Implications for India,” and “Using Tech to Improve State Capacity,” underlining the festival’s role in shaping forward-looking debates at the intersection of technology, governance, and society. For students, practitioners, and researchers, PPPF offers a rare opportunity to engage directly with leaders addressing India’s most complex policy challenges.
The programme will also feature workshops, including ‘The Importance of Public Data Systems in Strengthening India’s State Capacity’ in collaboration with CEGIS, and a workshop on History, Science Policy & Research in India led by Anu Rangunathan from CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory.
The festival is supported by a strong network of partners, including key donors Parimal and Pramod Chaudhari Foundation, Forbes Marshal, Hertie School, Nayanta University, and Praj. Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics returns as Venue Partner, while Nation First Policy Research Center and StratNews Global join as Knowledge Partners, with Co-Creators and Company as Co-working Partner, reflecting the festival’s expanding ecosystem of academic, philanthropic, and industry collaborators.
