IAS officer Anurag Jain has been appointed as the new CEO of NITI Aayog. Jain, who is a 1989-batch IAS officer of Madhya Pradesh cadre, has been appointed to the post for a two‑year term.
The appointment was approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), according to an official order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).
“The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Shri Anurag Jain, IAS (MP:89) as Chief Executive Officer, NITI Aayog with effect from the date of his assumption of charge of the post, till his approved tenure of extension in service and thereafter, for an overall period of two years or until further orders, whichever is earlier, on the same terms and conditions as were applicable to his predecessor,” the order read, news agency PTI reported.
Jain has held several key positions in the Centre and the state government during his administrative career.
In April, the Centre appointed economist Ashok Kumar Lahiri as Vice Chairperson of NITI Aayog, succeeding Suman K. Bery. Rajiv Gauba, Professor K. V. Raju, Professor Gobardhan Das, Dr. M. Srinivas and Professor Abhay Karandikar were also named full-time members of the Aayog.
In the Investment Friendliness Index 2026 — NITI Aayog’s first edition — Gujarat topped the ranking among 17 major states with a score of 56.6, followed by Maharashtra (53.7) and Tamil Nadu (53.3). The Index assesses states on 84 indicators across eight pillars, covering the full investment lifecycle from policy and governance to infrastructure, business facilitation and fiscal management.
The report stresses that while national reforms set broad economic direction, state governments are critical to improving the investment climate through strong infrastructure, efficient regulation, capable institutions and predictable policy regimes. Strengthening state-level investment ecosystems is therefore essential to boost India’s competitiveness, attract more domestic and foreign investment, and sustain high economic growth.
The Investment Friendliness Index aims to promote competitive yet cooperative federalism by encouraging states and Union Territories to adopt best practices and carry out continuous reforms aligned with the Viksit Bharat @2047 vision.
On June 11, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired the 11th NITI Aayog Governing Council meeting at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre, New Delhi. The session, themed “Inclusive Human Development for Viksit Bharat @2047,” was attended by Chief Ministers, Lieutenant Governors and Administrators representing 28 states and five Union Territories; it marked the first time Chief Ministers from all 28 states participated in a Governing Council meeting.
