Ashok Lahiri to be NITI Aayog vice chairman, replacing Suman Bery
Ashok Lahiri to be NITI Aayog vice chairman, replacing Suman Bery
Ashok Lahiri, ex-CEA and Bengal BJP MLA, named NITI Aayog vice-chairman, succeeding Suman Bery.
In a move that could sharpen India's policy planning, economist Ashok Lahiri has been tapped to become the vice-chairman of NITI Aayog. A respected policy economist and former Chief Economic Advisor, Lahiri also has a political link as a Bengal BJP MLA.
Lahiri will take over the number two post from Suman Bery, who has led NITI Aayog since May 2022 with cabinet-rank status.
Bery's tenure saw him bring a global perspective to the premier policy body, having been a Global Fellow in the Asia Programme of the Woodrow Wilson International Centre for Scholars in Washington and a non-resident fellow at Bruegel in Brussels. He was also on the board of the Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation in New Delhi.
Lahiri's own resume includes service as a member of the 15th Finance Commission, reinforcing his credentials as someone who can chart long-term fiscal and economic strategy for the government. The appointment is viewed as a signal of continuity paired with fresh, policy-first leadership at the apex of the government's planning machinery.
As the country continues to push structural reforms, Lahiri's approach—centered on data-driven policy and economic rigor—could shape NITI Aayog's role in coordinating central and state strategies across sectors.
