Niti Aayog Revamped, 5 New Members Named

Sunday, April 26, 2026

The government has appointed Ashok Lahiri as the new vice chairman of Niti Aayog and added five members with diverse expertise to the policy think tank, effective Monday. This restructuring aims to bring new insights and strengthen Niti Aayog’s role in driving India's strategic planning and reforms amid changing national and global challenges.

The government on Friday announced a significant reshuffle at Niti Aayog, appointing Ashok Lahiri as the new vice chairman and introducing five additional members to the premier policy think tank. This revamp comes more than a decade after Niti Aayog was established in 2015 to replace the Planning Commission.

The five newly named members joining Lahiri include Rajiv Gauba, K V Raju, Gobardhan Das, M Srinivas, and Abhay Karandikar. Gauba, a former cabinet secretary, had been appointed earlier in March 2025. The new team is expected to assume office starting Monday.

Ashok Lahiri, an economist and ex-chief economic adviser to the government, succeeds Suman Bery, who served as vice chairman for four years. The appointments reflect a broad range of expertise, spanning economics, science, medical research, and administration.

Gobardhan Das is the director of the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research in Bhopal, while K V Raju serves as a part-time member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM). Abhay Karandikar holds the position of secretary in the Department of Science and Technology. M Srinivas is the director of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), and Rajiv Gauba brings his extensive administrative experience as a former cabinet secretary.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who chairs the Niti Aayog, underscored the institution's pivotal role in India’s policymaking framework. In a social media post on X, Modi described Niti Aayog as a crucial platform fostering cooperative federalism, enabling reforms, and enhancing “Ease of Living.” He added that the think tank remains a dynamic hub for innovation and long-term strategic planning across various sectors.

According to the official notification, the status of all ex-officio members and special invitees remains unchanged. The new appointees are slated to replace previous members who had significant portfolios: economist Ramesh Chand, responsible for agriculture policy; economist Arvind Virmani, who focused on trade matters; VK Saraswat, who contributed to science and technology initiatives; and VK Paul, renowned for overseeing health policy and playing a critical role during the Covid-19 pandemic response.

This overhaul signals a strategic effort by the government to infuse fresh perspectives into Niti Aayog as it continues to shape India's development agenda in a rapidly evolving domestic and global environment.