 "S Mahendra Dev, newly appointed chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM)")
S Mahendra Dev, newly appointed chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM), says India is on track to grow at 6.5 per cent in 2025-26 (FY26) despite global headwinds. In an interview with Sanjeeb Mukherjee and Indivjal Dhasmana in New Delhi, he discusses a wide-range of issues, including the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on jobs, demand trends, and increasing the share of manufacturing in the economy. Edited excerpts:
The rural economy and consumption have done well in 2024–25. Do you think they will remain a big growth driver in FY26 as well?
The average growth
