The Indian Institutional Quant Conference (Delhi Edition 2026)

Date: 17th July 2026 | Venue: Taj City Centre, Gurugram

The Indian Institutional Quant Conference (IIQC) – Delhi Edition 2026 was held on 17th July 2026 at Taj City Centre, Gurugram. The conference convened a distinguished group of researchers, academicians, policymakers, practitioners, technologists, family offices, and institutional participants who are actively contributing towards the advancement of quantitative and systematic thinking in India. The full-day event served as a collaborative platform for meaningful dialogue, technical exchange, and interdisciplinary learning across the broader quant ecosystem.

The Delhi edition provided an engaging environment for participants to deliberate on emerging developments in quantitative research, macroeconomic policymaking, artificial intelligence, machine learning, alternative data, regulatory frameworks, benchmarking, foreign exchange strategies, and systematic methodologies. Through a thoughtfully curated agenda comprising keynote presentations, panel discussions, technical sessions, and interactive exchanges, attendees gained valuable perspectives on how analytical and systematic approaches are increasingly shaping institutional decision-making, research practices, and long-term strategic thinking.

The Delhi Edition 2026 witnessed participation from a wide range of leading institutions, reflecting the continued growth of India’s quantitative ecosystem. Participants from reputed organizations including BlackRock, JioBlackRock AMC, NSE, BSE, LSEG, S&P Global, Nuvama, Nubra, ETMarkets, GARP Delhi Chapter, American Express, CoinDCX, Khaitan & Co., SBI, American Express, Ministry of Finance, Trilegal, IIT Delhi, Ashoka University, Indian Statistical Institute (ISI), JNU, FORE School of Management, Mercer, National Australia Bank, BNY Mellon, GM, HCLTech, IDFC FIRST Bank, Accord Fintech, Anand Rathi, Societe General, Estee Advisors, Alt Alpha,, Mercer, Blueberry, IKM, ICRA, NextEdge Capital, Centricity WealthTech, PACE 360, FINDOC, Dhanalogy Finserv, Trigen Wealth, WealthVault, AI Alpha, Modus AI, Akar Ventures, Bellwether Associates, Platizio Services, Lighthouse Canton India, Infinite Computer Solutions, XLRI Delhi NCR, Quant Insider, FAAD, Brindco, PlusWealth, Batra Hedge, Ambit, CustosAIF, InCred Wealth, Finolex, Amola Legal, Finlea, Arham Share, Flameback Capital, SGX, Anantatv, Ceiqall India, 26 Miles, and other leading institutions contributed to insightful discussions, exchange of ideas, and collaborative engagement throughout the conference.

Key Highlights

The conference featured a series of compelling keynote sessions by distinguished speakers, offering forward-looking perspectives on macroeconomic policymaking, quantitative research, artificial intelligence, regulatory developments, and data-driven decision-making.

The conference commenced with a Welcome Address hosted by Donika Juthani (Groupe Société Générale), featuring Arvind Mathur (PEP, Ex-ADB), Pankaj Mani (RealWorldRisk, Wilmott), and Rishi Kohli (JioBlackRock AMC). The session reflected on the growing quant ecosystem in India and the importance of education, research, innovation, and collaboration.

Prof. Chetan Ghate (Prime Minister-EAC Member, ISI) presented “Challenges in Macro Economic Policymaking”, sharing research-backed perspectives on macroeconomic variables, growth indicators, and the difference between projected and real-world outcomes.

Prof. Sandeep Juneja (Ashoka University – Founding Director, Safexpress Centre for Data, Learning and Decision Sciences | Former Bank of America and Visiting Researcher, Google Research) presented “India Factor Library and Incorporating Views in Portfolio Optimisation”, demonstrating how artificial intelligence and machine learning can support data-driven quantitative decision-making.

Udit Sureka (Nuvama Asset Services) delivered “Next Step in your Quant Journey: From Strategy to Structure”, highlighting practical approaches for implementing quantitative strategies while comparing different structures and their applications.

The panel discussion on “Practical Uses of AI/ML and Alternative Data for India vs Global Experience” featured Balakrishnan Ilango (LSEG) and Aditya Sharma (S&P Global), moderated by Ashutosh Kumar (Nubra). The discussion explored how alternative data sources, including news, social media, transcripts, and research, can be leveraged through artificial intelligence and machine learning.

The session, “Benchmarking the Benchmarks: Practical Implications for Alpha & Passives”, featured Pankaj Mani (RealWorldRisk, Wilmott), moderated by Lalit Taneja (GARP). The session highlighted the importance of testing the robustness of benchmarks ,model and systemic risk assessment well as higher order alpha dynamics for the performance analysis of strategies backed by rigourous quantitative data and research.

Suniel Kucchal (Ex-MD, BNY; Ex-CEO Mashreq Bank (India)) presented “Forex Strategies”, discussing the scale of global foreign exchange activity and the characteristics of trend-following approaches.

The panel discussion on “Importance of SIFs for Indian Portfolios in the Current Scenario” featured Rishi Kohli (JioBlackRock AMC), Amit Goel (Pace360), Vinayak Magotra (Centricity WealthTech), and Puneet Jain (Karan Thapar Family Office), moderated by Kshitij Anand (ET Markets). The discussion focused on specialised and structured derivative strategies and the emergence of hybrid and long-short approaches.

Sunil Ramrakhiani (BSE) presented “The Changing DNA of Indian Quant Ecosystem: An Exchange Perspective”, highlighting the evolution of ecosystem infrastructure, policy development, and the changing landscape supporting quantitative innovation.

Dr. S.N. Ghosh (SK Attorney, Ex-Ministry of Finance, GoI) presented “Regulating Quants in India: Future Roadmap: Global Vs India Comparison”, emphasising governance, regulatory frameworks, risk oversight, and building a future-ready ecosystem.

Prof. Miquel Noguer I Alonso (NYU, Global AI, AIFI) concluded the technical sessions with “Agentic AI in Quant: Practical Applications”, demonstrating how Agentic AI can transform raw data into actionable signals through structured workflows involving signal generation, risk assessment, and execution.

The conference concluded with closing remarks by Pawan Mehar (Unicorn Investment Managers), who expressed gratitude to all speakers, moderators, partners, and participants while reflecting on the continued growth of India’s quant community and the importance of research, education, collaboration, and innovation.

The Delhi Edition of the Indian Institutional Quant Conference 2026 would not have been possible without the insightful contributions of our speakers, moderators, partners, and participants. Their collective engagement transformed the conference into a meaningful platform for learning, dialogue, collaboration, and exchange of ideas across the quantitative ecosystem.

Energized by the enriching discussions and collaborative exchange throughout the conference, we move forward with a deep sense of gratitude and renewed enthusiasm to continue advancing quantitative research, education, and systematic thinking across the country and beyond. The Delhi Edition of the Indian Institutional Quant Conference 2026 reinforced LAQSA’s vision of building a connected and evolving community grounded in research, innovation, analytical thinking, and continuous learning.

We sincerely thank everyone who participated and contributed towards making this edition meaningful and memorable. As we continue this journey of ideas, inquiry, and collaboration, we look forward to welcoming the community again for the next edition of the Indian Institutional Quant Conference (IIQC).