Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir), February 27 : The Indian Institute of Management Jammu inaugurated the 3rd International Finance and Accounting Conference (IFAC 2026) on the theme "Financial Strategies for Inclusive and Sustainable Economic Growth to achieve Viksit Bharat 2047" at the Mandapam Auditorium, IIM Jammu on Friday.
The International Finance and Accounting Conference (IFAC 2026) was inaugurated by Swaminathan J, Deputy Governor, Reserve Bank of India, who graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. Jabir Ali, Dean of Faculty and Research, IIM Jammu, along with Nitin Upadhyay, Dean of Academics, IIM Jammu, presided over the inaugural ceremony, according to a release.
Pranab Ranjan, Conference Chair, and Ashish Kumar, Joint Conference Chair, also graced the momentous occasion. The programme commenced with the ceremonial lighting of the lamp, followed by the felicitation of the Chief Guest, Swaminathan J, Deputy Governor, Reserve Bank of India, marking the formal opening of the two-day international conference.
In his keynote address, Swaminathan J, Deputy Governor, Reserve Bank of India, addressed the gathering at the International Finance and Accounting Conference (IFAC 2026) hosted by the Indian Institute of Management Jammu, reflecting on the Institute's growing stature as a premier academic institution in the country and across the globe, according to a release.
Speaking to an audience of distinguished experts and MBA students, he framed his address as a conversation with future leaders, emphasising that the financial system India builds toward 2047 must rest on three pillars: safety, fairness, and reliability. He underscored that development extends beyond GDP to quality of life and that finance, at its core, is a people-centric enterprise built on trust, clarity, and integrity. Encouraging principled leadership, he highlighted key lessons for sound decision-making: respecting customers, understanding financial sustainability, encouraging constructive challenge, and discussing risks transparently.
He stressed that in an era where technology scales rapidly, both value and vulnerabilities multiply, making responsible design and fair customer outcomes critical for inclusive growth. Concluding, he noted that the journey toward Viksit Bharat 2047 requires performance anchored in principles and that platforms like IFAC 2026 bridge classroom learning with real-world financial transformation.
Jabir Ali, Dean of Faculty and Research, IIM Jammu, extended his greetings to the distinguished dignitaries, scholars, and students at IFAC 2026 hosted by the Indian Institute of Management Jammu. He emphasised that education must transcend classroom learning to foster a deeper understanding of public policy and its real-world impact, particularly in advancing inclusive and sustainable economic development, the release stated.
Underscoring the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, he highlighted the critical role of higher education institutions in shaping responsible leaders and policy thinkers who can contribute meaningfully to India's growth journey. He reaffirmed that IIM Jammu is committed to setting the tone for this national vision through research-driven insights, strong academia-industry-government collaboration, and ethical leadership rooted in innovation and sustainability.
Referring to collaborative engagements with the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir, he noted that such platforms as IFAC 2026 enable students to develop a holistic understanding of industry, governance, and economic transformation, and he conveyed his best wishes for the conference's grand success.
Nitin Upadhyay, Dean Academics, IIM Jammu, greeted the distinguished guests, panellists, scholars, and students at the International Finance and Accounting Conference (IFAC 2026) hosted by the Indian Institute of Management Jammu.
He acknowledged the guiding influence of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in shaping India's financial architecture and appreciated the conference's timely and forward-looking theme, "Financial Strategies for Inclusive and Sustainable Economic Growth to achieve Viksit Bharat 2047."
He emphasised that the deliberations at IFAC 2026 would explore multiple dimensions of finance and accounting, offering valuable insights for policymakers and practitioners to design robust mechanisms that contribute meaningfully toward the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. He further noted that such conferences elevate institutional discourse and open avenues for global engagement and collaborative forums.
During the interactive session with students, Swaminathan J addressed queries on monetary policy transmission, global spillovers, financial sector vulnerabilities, and the balance between growth and inflation management, encouraging young scholars to contribute meaningfully to India's financial policy ecosystem. The inaugural session concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr. Ashish Kumar, Joint Conference Chair, followed by the National Anthem, according to the release.
Pranab Ranjan Das, Conference Chair, IIM Jammu, welcomed the distinguished guests and participants to IFAC 2026. Presenting the theme, Financial Strategies for Inclusive and Sustainable Economic Growth to achieve Viksit Bharat@2047, he highlighted financial reforms, sustainability, and strategic pathways for long-term transformation. He expressed confidence that the conference would generate actionable policy insights and emphasised collaboration among academia, industry, and policymakers to build a resilient, future-ready economy aligned with the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
Saugata Bhattacharya, Member, MPC; Madan Sabnavis, Chief Economist, Bank of Baroda; CMA S K Gupta, MD, ICMAI Registered Valuers Organisation; Prasanna Balachander, Executive Director, ICICI Securities; Dr. Narendra Ahlawat, MD & CEO, MCX Clearing Corporation Ltd.; and Akshay Panth, CIO, SBI Ventures, along with Tamal Bandyopadhyay, Consulting Editor, The Business Standard, also graced the inaugural ceremony.
At IFAC 2026, hosted by the Indian Institute of Management Jammu, the panel discussion on the conference theme brought together distinguished leaders from India's financial ecosystem, including Saugata Bhattacharya, Member, MPC; Madan Sabnavis, Chief Economist, Bank of Baroda; CMA S K Gupta, MD, ICMAI Registered Valuers Organization; Prasanna Balachander, Executive Director, ICICI Securities; Dr. Narendra Ahlawat, MD & CEO, MCX Clearing Corporation Ltd.; and Akshay Panth, CIO, SBI Ventures. The session was moderated by Tamal Bandyopadhyay, Consulting Editor, The Business Standard. The discussion offered a multidimensional perspective on India's financial transformation toward Viksit Bharat 2047, highlighting structural shifts in global savings and liquidity amid quantitative tightening and the imperative for India to compete effectively for limited global capital while deepening domestic financial markets.
Panellists drew attention to slowing deposit growth and the migration of retail investors toward capital markets, underscoring the importance of strengthening the savings ecosystem alongside sustained credit expansion. The deliberations also examined the evolution of financial intermediation, with growing momentum in retail lending, corporate bond markets, alternative investment platforms, and venture capital ecosystems. While banking was reaffirmed as central to India's financial architecture, speakers emphasised the urgency of customer-centric innovation, technology adoption, diversified funding channels, and sustainable financial products. The panel converged on a clear message that India's journey toward inclusive and sustainable growth will require adaptive institutions, deeper and more diversified capital markets, strengthened domestic savings, and principled financial leadership aligned with long-term national development goals, according to the release.
IFAC 2026 continued with concurrent technical sessions featuring research presentations by scholars and practitioners, reinforcing IIM Jammu's commitment to academic excellence, policy engagement, and national development. The conference reaffirmed the central role of a resilient, inclusive, and innovation-driven financial system in shaping India's journey toward becoming a developed nation by 2047.