Pune Public Policy Festival Returns for Its Third Edition with Leading Voices in Tech, Geopolitics, and Public Policy

09th December, Pune:  After two successful editions, the Pune Public Policy Festival (PPPF) returns on January 9th and 10th, 2026, hosted at the historic Gokhale Institute of Politics & Economics. Continuing its mission to elevate India’s policy discourse, PPPF 2026 will gather policymakers, industry leaders, academics, and innovators for two days of rigorous dialogue, strategic thinking, and cross-sector collaboration. This year’s theme, “Decoding Technology and Society”, reflects the shifting intersections of technology, state capacity, and India’s global aspirations.

PPPF 2026 builds on its signature approach of grounding national policy discourse in practical and evidence-driven challenges. Across two days, the festival will explore themes spanning AI governance, financial innovation, critical minerals, mental health in the AI era, cultural IP, global tech competition, and the future of India’s state capacity. With conversations aimed at advancing innovative policy ideas and India’s institutional needs, the festival continues to shape a platform where India’s policy thinkers converge to frame solutions for a rapidly transforming nation.

The speaker lineup brings together an array of distinguished voices. Day 1 opens with a keynote by MJ Akbar, followed by panels on the transformation of financial services, India’s gaming and cultural IP industries, and AI’s impact on education and mental health, and a closing keynote fireside chat with the  General Anil Chauhan, Chief of Defence Staff, India, moderated by Nitin Gokhale. Day 2 features sessions on India’s AI-startup ecosystem, global tech wars moderated by Vijay Gokhale, discussions on AI in industry and government, a high-level session on boosting state capacity. Prominent speakers this year include Shashank Mani Tripathi (Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha), Ashish Dhawan (Chief Executive Officer, The Convergence Foundation), Mayur Datar (VP of Applied Sciences, Microsoft), Dr. Aniruddha Malpani (Founder, Malpani Ventures), Rishi Bal (Head, BharatGen), Ninad Chhaya (Senior VP Corporate Development, Reliance Games), Anchal Jajodia (Co-Founder, Cybrilla), and others.

This year’s programme features thought-provoking segments such as “Building India’s Cultural IP Through Gaming”, “Critical Minerals and the Future of Supply Chains”, and “Using Tech to Improve State Capacity”, positioning PPPF 2026 at the forefront of debates on India’s technology and governance future. For students, researchers, and policy professionals, the festival offers a rare opportunity to learn directly from practitioners navigating India’s most complex national challenges.

The festival is supported by a strong network of partners who make the convening possible. Parimal and Pramod Chaudhari Foundation, Forbes Marshal, Hertie School, Nayanta University, Praj serve as key donors, while Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics supports as the venue partner. Nation First Policy Research Center and StratNews Global join as Knowledge Partners, with Co-Creators and Companys as Co-working Partner, reflecting the festival’s expanding ecosystem of academic, philanthropic, and industry collaborators.

Tickets for PPPF 2026 are available on the official website www.pppf.in, with early interest already exceeding previous editions. Policymakers, industry professionals, researchers, and students are encouraged to register for what promises to be a landmark gathering in India’s public policy landscape