After an illustrious 45-year career in public service, Amitabh Kant has stepped down from his role as India's G20 Sherpa. The former CEO of NITI Aayog announced his decision on June 16, 2025, marking the end of an era and the beginning of a new chapter focused on supporting startups, think tanks, and academic institutions.

Kant's tenure as G20 Sherpa, which began in July 2022, saw him play a pivotal role in representing India on the global stage. He succeeded Piyush Goyal, who relinquished the position due to an increasing workload. Kant's appointment was particularly timely, preceding India's assumption of the G20 Presidency in December 2022. A full-time Sherpa was deemed necessary to dedicate sufficient time to the numerous meetings and responsibilities associated with the role.

In a LinkedIn post, Kant expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the trust placed in him and for the opportunity to contribute to India's developmental initiatives. He also extended his appreciation to Ministers Nirmala Sitharaman and S. Jaishankar, as well as Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, P.K. Mishra, for their guidance and support. Kant acknowledged his colleagues, mentors, and friends for their inspiration throughout his career.

Kant highlighted India's G20 Presidency in 2023 as a significant milestone, noting the achievement of unanimous consensus on the New Delhi Leaders' Declaration despite complex global challenges. He also emphasized the successful inclusion of the African Union in the G20, fulfilling India's commitment to global equity and amplifying the voice of the Global South.

Amitabh Kant is a retired 1980-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer from the Kerala cadre. Before his role as G20 Sherpa, he served as the CEO of NITI Aayog for over six years, from February 2016 to June 2022, making him the longest-serving CEO of the institution. His previous roles include Secretary of the Department for Industrial Policy and Promotion (2014–16) and Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism (2001–07). During his time at NITI Aayog, Kant was instrumental in formulating production-linked incentive schemes aimed at boosting domestic manufacturing and growth in the wake of the pandemic.

As a Sherpa, Kant was responsible for planning, negotiating, and implementing tasks related to the G20 Summit. His duties included preparing the agenda, building consensus among member nations, and participating in pre-summit consultations to align leaders' positions.

With his departure, Amitabh Kant embarks on a new journey, expressing his intention to contribute to India's transformation towards "Viksit Bharat" by supporting free enterprise, startups, think tanks, and academic institutions. His vast experience and expertise gained over four decades of public service will undoubtedly be valuable assets in his future endeavors.