Ashok Lahiri to succeed Suman Bery as Niti Aayog Vice-Chairman

Economist and outgoing West Bengal BJP MLA, Ashok Lahiri, is widely reported to be the next Vice-Chairman of Niti Aayog, India's premier public policy think tank. This anticipated appointment would see him replace the current Vice-Chairman, Suman Bery, who assumed the position on May 1, 2022, and holds the rank and status of a Cabinet Minister. While multiple credible news outlets, including Hindustan Times, The Economic Times, Mint, and India TV, are extensively covering this development on April 24, 2026, formal government orders are still awaited. Ashok Lahiri brings a wealth of experience to this pivotal role. He is a distinguished Indian economist who previously served as the 12th Chief Economic Adviser (CEA) to the Government of India, a position he held from December 2002 to June 2007. During his tenure as CEA, he advised both the Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh administrations, demonstrating a rare continuity of expertise across political lines. Beyond his role as CEA, Lahiri has held various significant positions in national and international institutions. These include serving as a member of the Fifteenth Finance Commission, Chairman of Bandhan Bank, Executive Director at the Asian Development Bank, Director of the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy, and a Reader at the Delhi School of Economics. He also had stints as a consultant with the World Bank and a senior economist at the International Monetary Fund. Currently, Ashok Lahiri is a sitting Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from the Balurghat constituency in West Bengal, representing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). However, he is notably not contesting the ongoing state assembly elections. His political foray began in 2021 when he successfully contested from Balurghat. This move from a technocratic background to electoral politics was driven by a desire to apply his policy expertise directly to developmental challenges in West Bengal. The news of Lahiri's potential appointment as Niti Aayog Vice-Chairman is particularly resonant given the political landscape, coinciding with the heated West Bengal Assembly elections. His selection, alongside that of scientist Gobardhan Das as a new Niti Aayog member, is seen as bringing distinguished expertise from Bengal to the country's top policy-making body. Gobardhan Das, a prominent immunologist and former director of IISER Bhopal, also has a background in electoral politics, having unsuccessfully contested the 2021 West Bengal polls on a BJP ticket. The Niti Aayog, which replaced the Planning Commission in 2015, serves as the Indian government's apex public policy think tank. It is tasked with fostering economic development and cooperative federalism by involving state governments in the policymaking process through a bottom-up approach. The Prime Minister serves as its Chairperson, making the Vice-Chairman effectively the operational head of the institution. Suman Bery, the outgoing Vice-Chairman, took over from Rajiv Kumar on May 1, 2022. Bery, an experienced policy economist and research administrator, had previously held positions as a Global Fellow in the Asia Programme of the Woodrow Wilson International Centre for Scholars and a non-resident fellow at Bruegel. His tenure saw contributions to various policy initiatives. The appointment of Ashok Lahiri, with his extensive background in economic policy, academia, and political experience, signals a potential shift in the strategic direction or emphasis of Niti Aayog. His deep understanding of India's economic landscape, combined with his experience in both national and international policy environments, makes him a significant figure to lead the government's key advisory body. The formal announcement is anticipated and will confirm these widely reported developments.

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