The UPD is a flagship event hosted by IIHS’ Practice Programme. Held every year in the last week of November, it has, since 2015, brought together India’s leading urban thinkers and practitioners to reflect on the state of the urban and the policy agenda needed to realise the rich development possibilities the country’s urbanisation presents. 

The past eight editions of the event, have informed several national and state level policy stances. These in turn, has gone on to shape the country’s urbanisation. The ninth edition of the UPD is scheduled over 29-30 November 2023. 

Participation in the UPD is by invitation only, with 50-60 leading voices drawn annually from the diverse arenas of policy, regulation, business, finance, research, academia, and civil society. The event is governed by the Chatham House rule, permitting multiple perspectives and bold propositioning on complex issues. 

In a typical year, the UPD hosts a mix of senior Government of India (GoI) and State government functionaries, business, city, and NGO leaders, and heads of regulatory agencies and financial, research and academic institutions. 

The insightful and forward looking conversations at UPD 2023 will be focused on themes of economic development, urban governance, public and municipal finance, infrastructure development and service delivery, and climate and sustainability. They will be enabled through a mix of evidence, curated participation and an event design aimed at promoting open and honest reflection.