• ICAI Signs MoU with IndiaAI (Digital India Corporation, MeitY)
• ICAI Awards and ICAI Annual Function marked the culmination of the WOFA 2.0
• Day 3 focused on future finance, Union Budget 2026, digital transformation, leadership, youth empowerment and India's global economic aspirations

The third and concluding day of the World Forum of Accountants (WOFA) 2.0 witnessed high-impact discussions on the future of finance, public policy, leadership, innovation and India's emergence as a global economic power, bringing together global thought leaders, policymakers, regulators and professionals.

The day commenced with a forward-looking session titled "Money, Mindset, Metaverse: The New Age of Finance", featuring Mr. Lee White, CEO, IFAC; Ms. Noopur Chaturvedi, MD & CEO, NPCI Bharat BillPay Limited; and Ms. Jennifer Lopez, CEO, CAPA. The speakers deliberated on digital finance, evolving payment ecosystems and the changing global financial architecture.

This was followed by a Live Viewing of the Union Budget 2026, enabling participants to closely track key policy announcements and economic priorities.

Post-lunch, the session "From Policy to Progress: Driving Innovation, Enterprise and Digital Transformation" featured Shri S. Krishnan, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and CA. Mahaveer Singhvi, Additional Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs. The discussion focused on policy-led innovation, digital transformation and India's global engagement.

During the event, ICAI also signed an MoU with IndiaAI (Digital India Corporation, MeitY) towards advancing AI education, skilling, research and innovation for the accounting and finance profession.

Shri S. Krishnan, Secretary, MeitY, while addressing the audience said, "India's digital transformation is being driven from the finance sector, with chartered accountants at the forefront. Through ICAI's partnership with the India AI Mission and initiatives like the AI Impact Summit, the CA profession is leveraging technology to boost productivity, foster innovation and strengthen India's economic growth and global competitiveness".

CA. Mahaveer Singhvi, Additional Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs "As India advances towards a digitally empowered economy, trust, transparency and professionalism remain central. Chartered Accountants, as guardians of financial credibility, are uniquely positioned to bridge policy intent with sustainable progress at both national and global levels".

Further, the session on "Value Based Leadership" was addressed by Shri Shiv Khera and CA. Ashwajit Singh, Founder & Managing Director, IPE Global, highlighting ethics, purpose-driven leadership and resilience in a fast-changing world.

This was followed by a keynote session "India - A Global Economic Power in the Making", delivered by Shri Tejasvi Surya, Hon'ble Member of Parliament, focusing on India's growth story and future global role. He stated, "ICAI has built a globally respected CA profession that supports trust-based governance in India, and WOFA serves as a vital platform to strengthen this role through international engagement and reform-oriented dialogue".

A comprehensive session on "Union Budget 2026 Analysis: Trends, Impact, and the Road Ahead" featured eminent tax experts CA. Girish Ahuja, CA. T. P. Ostwal and CA. Bimal Jain, who analysed key budget proposals and their implications for businesses and the economy.

The day concluded with an inspirational virtual session by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar on "Dream Big, Stay Strong: Life Lessons for Today's Youth", underscoring the significance of inner strength, resilience and mindful living.

The 3rd day also hosted a prestigious second ICAI Awards ceremony celebrating professional excellence and leadership across multiple domains - 19th ICAI Awards for Members in Industry recognised outstanding contributions by Chartered Accountants in the corporate and industrial sectors, along with 3rd CA Women Excellence Awards honouring exemplary achievements by women CAs and 4th ICAI Sustainability Reporting Awards 2024-25, acknowledging organisations demonstrating excellence in sustainability disclosures and responsible reporting.

The event was graced by Shri Raj Bhushan Chaudhary, Hon'ble MoS for Jal Shakti, as the Chief Guest.

Honoring the awardees Shri Raj Bhushan Chaudhary, MoS, Jal Shakti stated "ICAI has created a platform that celebrates professional excellence alongside ethics, responsibility, and sustainability. Chartered Accountants stand at the intersection of finance, governance, and sustainable development, driving long-term growth while fostering transparency, accountability, and inclusive participation, especially of women and youth".

The day concluded with an annual function graced by Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal, Hon'ble Minister of State (Independent Charge), Law and Justice as the Chief Guest.

While addressing the audience he said, "Ethical management of conflicts of interest is vital for good governance and the rule of law. ICAI's WOFA reinforces the profession's responsibility towards accountability and institutional trust".

This was followed by awards distributed to Rank Holders of CA Examinations along with Awards for Regional Council, Branches & Overseas Chapters of ICAI under various categories.

On the culmination of WOFA, CA. Charanjot Singh Nanda, President, ICAI, said that "WOFA 2.0 marked a significant milestone in the ICAI's history. The event brought together global experts and thought leaders, reflecting the power of collaboration and the growing influence of the accounting profession worldwide. I am sure when the global profession comes together on a shared platform, it creates enduring frameworks for harmonised standards, innovation and sustainable growth worldwide".

CA. Prasanna Kumar D, Vice-President, ICAI said, "The success of WOFA 2.0 has been truly overwhelming, showcasing India's leadership in uniting global regulators, professionals and institutions to advance excellence, trust and collaboration in the accounting profession".

WOFA 2.0 culminated with the ICAI Annual Function, reaffirming ICAI's role as a trusted partner in nation building, policy reforms and global collaboration.

About ICAI

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) is a statutory body set up by an Act of Parliament under the Chartered Accountants Act, 1949 for the regulation and development of the profession of Chartered Accountancy in India. The Institute functions under the administrative supervision of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Government of India. With around 9.85 lakh students and over 4 lakh members, today ICAI is the largest professional accountancy body in the world. ICAI has a wide network of 5 Regional Councils and 177 Branches within India and a global presence with 52 Overseas Chapters and 29 Representative Offices spanning 81 cities across 47 Countries worldwide.