Pune: The Gokhale Institute of Politics & Economics will host the third edition of the Pune Public Policy Festival, PPPF 2026, on January 9-10, bringing together senior leaders from governance, defence, technology, industry, and academia for structured, evidence-driven policy dialogue.
Anchored in the theme “Decoding Technology and Society,” PPPF 2026 will examine how rapid technological change is influencing India’s policy frameworks, institutional resilience, and global competitiveness.
PPPF 2026 Focuses on Technology, Governance, and Society
The two-day programme at PPPF 2026 will explore policy challenges spanning AI governance, financial innovation, cultural intellectual property, mental health in the AI era, and the evolving role of institutions in a technology-driven economy.
With an emphasis on actionable outcomes and cross-sector collaboration, the festival continues to position itself as a platform for informed policy engagement in a rapidly transforming India.
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PPPF 2026 Day 1 Agenda Highlights Technology and Institutions
The first day of PPPF 2026 will examine the impact of technology on financial services, the current state and future direction of science and technology policy in India, the role of technology in strengthening mental health systems, and the implications of digital transformation for higher education.
The day will conclude with a fireside conversation featuring General Anil Chauhan, Chief of Defence Staff, moderated by Nitin Gokhale.
PPPF 2026 Day 2 Explores AI, Global Tech Dynamics, and State Capacity
On day two, PPPF 2026 will focus on India’s AI startup ecosystem, global technology competition 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.
PPPF 2026 Speaker Line-up and Key Sessions
Prominent participants at PPPF 2026 include:
- 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, Vice President of Applied Sciences at Microsoft
- Pranay Kotasthane, Deputy Director at the Takshashila Institution
- Dr Aniruddha Malpani, Founder of Malpani Ventures
- Rishi Bal, Head of BharatGen
- Ninad Chhaya, Senior Vice President of Corporate Development at Reliance Games
- Anchal Jajodia, Co-Founder of Cybrilla
Distinctive programme segments at PPPF 2026 include “Building India’s Cultural IP through Gaming,” “Global Tech Wars and Implications for India,” and “Using Tech to Improve State Capacity,” highlighting the festival’s focus on forward-looking policy debates at the intersection of technology and governance.
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PPPF 2026 Workshops and Partner Ecosystem
The programme will also feature workshops such as “The Importance of Public Data Systems in Strengthening India’s State Capacity,” conducted in collaboration with CEGIS, and a session on History, Science Policy, and Research in India led by Anu Raghunathan from CSIR–National Chemical Laboratory.
PPPF 2026 is supported by partners including the Parimal and Pramod Chaudhari Foundation, Forbes Marshall, Hertie School, Nayanta University, and Praj.
Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics (GIPE) serves as the Venue Partner, with Nation First Policy Research Center and StratNews Global as Knowledge Partners, and Co-Creators and Company as Co-working Partner.
