New Delhi: Amitabh Kant has resigned as India’s G20 Sherpa, marking the end of his four-and-a-half-decade-long career in public service. The bureaucrat announced via a LinkedIn post on 16 June, stating he would now shift focus to working with startups, academic institutions, and think tanks in a non-governmental role.
Kant, a 1980-batch IAS officer of the Kerala cadre, was appointed India’s G20 Sherpa in July 2022, succeeding Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal. His tenure as Sherpa included India’s presidency of the G20 in 2023, during which he played a key role in securing consensus on the New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration and supporting the inclusion of the African Union into the grouping.
Career Highlights Across Policy and Governance
Before his G20 role, Kant served as the CEO of NITI Aayog from February 2016 to June 2022, its longest-serving chief to date. During this time, he oversaw several key policy initiatives, including the development of India’s digital public infrastructure and the rollout of programs like the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes, the Atal Innovation Mission, and the Green Hydrogen Mission.
He also held key roles in the Department for Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) between 2014 and 2016 and the Ministry of Tourism from 2001 to 2007. Kant was associated with initiatives like ‘Make in India’, ‘Startup India’, and ‘Incredible India’, aimed at boosting industry, entrepreneurship, and tourism, respectively.
Resignation Marks Transition to New Phase
In his resignation note, he expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for accepting his resignation and acknowledged the support of senior government officials, including Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, and Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, P.K. Mishra.
He indicated that his next phase would involve engaging with India’s transformation journey through private sector and civil society avenues. His departure comes at a time when India’s G20 diplomacy continues to shape its global positioning, particularly on developmental issues and representation for the Global South.
