India Day @ UNGA

Reception and Registration

Welcome Remarks

Binaya Srikanta Pradhan, Consul General, Consulate of India to New York

Shombi Sharp, United Nations Resident Coordinator – India

Host

Samir Saran, President, Observer Research Foundation, India

Keynote Address

Amandeep Singh Gill, Under-Secretary-General and Special Envoy for Digital and Emerging Technologies, United Nations

Launch of the publication

Global Goals, Indian Vision: The Last Mile to 2030

Session 1 |The SDG journey so far: Lessons and learnings from 10 years of implementation

In the context of the Government of India and other nations’ Voluntary National Review (VNR) on SDGs this year, and focusing on the themes, insights and learnings from the RF x ORF x UN publication, this panel will take stock of the SDG journey so far, and explore insights and learnings from 10 years of implementation.

• As we approach the final 5 years of the SDG timeline, how can we draw confidence from our experience, and fast-track achievement of the goals by 2030?
• How can South-South and regional cooperation strengthen development outcomes within an uncertain global geo-political context and changing national priorities?
• How has the private sector in particular contributed to the achievement of the SDG goals to-date?

Speakers

Ayla Bajwa, Senior Vice President - Sustainability, DP World, United Arab Emirates

Gaurav Goel, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Samagra, India

Hemang Jani, Senior Advisor to the Executive Director, World Bank

Hitan Mehta, Executive Director, British Asian Trust, United Kingdom 

Noella Musunka, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Malaika, United States of America

Sanjay Jain, Director, Digital Public Infrastructure, Gates Foundation

Moderator

Dhruva Jaishankar, Executive Director, ORF America, United States of America

Break

Session 2 | Advancing Development in the age of AI

Keynote Address

S. Krishnan, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, India

AI is driving transformations across a spectrum of sectors, including health, education, agriculture, and smart cities, and India is leading the way with tech-driven social and development change. The combination of AI and emerging tech, and the growing use of digital public goods, open-source platforms and data-driven governance tools, has become integral to efforts to meet the SDGs. This panel will deliberate on the potential for technology to advance financial inclusion, as well as delve into domain-specific use cases (edtech, healthtech, agritech). Additionally, it will focus on AI and human agency: How do we ensure we preserve and respect human agency and rights while leveraging AI and new technologies to advance progress towards the SDGs?

• As AI tools become more powerful, how can we ensure they promote inclusion, especially in underserved rural and low-income communities, rather than entrenching digital and economic disparities?
• With AI evolving faster than regulation, what frameworks and guardrails are needed to embed safety, accountability, and transparency, especially in public service delivery?
• Why do so many promising AI-for-development pilots fail to scale? What policy, investment, or institutional shifts are needed to unlock full impact in health, education, and agriculture?

Speakers

Brad Tytel, Deputy Director, Program Advocacy and Communications, Global Health Innovations, Gates Foundation

Caroline Fredrickson, Director, Research Department, International Labour Organisation

Courtney Gregoire, Chief Digital Safety Officer, Microsoft, United States of America

Rajesh Gupta, Dean, School of Computing, Information and Data Sciences, University of California San Diego, United States of America 

Victoria Luxardo Jeffries, Director, AI Policy, Meta, United States of America

Moderator

Anirban Sarma, Director, Centre for Digital Societies, Observer Research Foundation, India

Session 3 | Catalyst for Change: Accelerating Women’s Empowerment in the Last Mile to 2030

Keynote Address

Anil Malik, Secretary, Ministry of Women and Child Development, India

Women and girls are pivotal agents of change across the Sustainable Development Goals, from healthcare and education to climate resilience and economic inclusion, especially in rural, remote, and underserved communities. Proven models of local leadership, women-led enterprise, and community-driven innovation are already delivering measurable impact but require greater visibility, investment, and support to scale. Equally, initiatives that empower girls by enabling access to resources and opportunities and building their agency are crucial to ensure a more equitable and prosperous future for women. Cross-sector collaboration, inclusive governance, and digital tools offer powerful pathways to bridge the gap between ambition and implementation. This panel will explore how innovative approaches to women and girls’ empowerment can drive transformative outcomes and accelerate SDG delivery as we near 2030, through scalable models, integrated planning, and strengthened partnerships.

• Why is empowering women and girls essential to advancing the SDGs, and how do bottom-up leadership models shape outcomes at the community level?
• What are the persistent barriers to integrating gender perspectives into development planning, and how can inclusive financing, digital infrastructure, and local governance mechanisms help address them?
• Which initiatives or partnerships have successfully advanced women and girls’ agency in underserved regions, and how might these be scaled or adapted to diverse geographies and contexts?

Speakers

Anil Malik, Secretary, Ministry of Women and Child Development, India

Audrey Plonk, Deputy Director, Directorate for Science, Technology and Innovation, The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

Lauren Tilstra, Director of Communications and Content, World Bank

Lourdes Casanova, Gail and Roberto Cañizares Director, Emerging Markets Institute, Cornell University, United States of America

Nancy Mahon, Chief Sustainability Officer, Estée Lauder, United States of America

Nigina Muntean, Chief of Innovation, United Nations Population Fund 

Moderator

Vanita Sharma, Advisor, Strategic Initiatives, Reliance Foundation, United Kingdom

Valedictory Address

Gargee Ghosh, President, Global Policy & Advocacy, Gates Foundation

Closing Remarks and Vote of Thanks