Job Description

About Us

Foundation for Economic Development (FED) is a Delhi-based non-profit organisation that aims to bring about a sustained and broad-based economic growth of over 10% in India.

The evidence clearly shows that economic growth is the best tool to lift people out of poverty and improve the quality of life for everyone. Until 1991, India’s poverty rate remained unchanged at ~50%. Post reforms, poverty reduced from ~50% to ~20% with 35 crore (350 million) fewer people living in abject poverty. Since 2010, sustaining fast growth has been challenging as the easy gains have been realised. It is critical for India to maintain a growth rate of over 10% for long periods of time if we want Indians’ quality of life to improve rapidly and sustainably.

FED will identify select sectors of the economy which have the highest potential for generating incremental growth and jobs and then work with policymakers to make it happen. The organisation has Dr Aravind Panagariya, Naushad Forbes, Gurcharan Das, Jerry Rao and Ashish Dhawan on its advisory board who are helping shape the thinking and execution.

Our Work

FED has identified Export Led Labour-Intensive Manufacturing and Tourism as the highest opportunity sectors for generating incremental growth through aggressive reforms over the next few years. Immediate focus is largely on labour intensive manufacturing as this is an area of highest upside if right reforms can be brought about around critical factors of production like labour, land, utilities and logistics.

Our Approach

FED work streams are divided into three primary areas.

Research and Strategy: Deep dive into identified sectors, speak to relevant stakeholders, study practices from other countries and build data backed evidence for change

Communication and Outreach: Build salience for opportunity in target sectors and need for reforms through op-eds in relevant channels, social media as well as one on one engagement with key bureaucrats and policymakers

Implementation Support: Work with select state governments in helping implement specific actions to promote the target sectors. The team is currently working closely with the UP Government on its “Mission Trillion Dollar” economy. The team is also working with Telangana and Tamilnadu governments on their economic growth agenda.

Position Summary

We are seeking smart, analytical, and motivated individuals to join our team. This internship offers an exciting opportunity to work on real-world problems, shaping strategies that influence India’s economic trajectory.

Key Responsibilities:

• Conduct primary and secondary research on priority sectors such as manufacturing and tourism, etc.
• Analyze economic data, global trends, and sectoral policies.
• Prepare insightful reports and presentations to support policy recommendations.
• Engage with experts, stakeholders, and policymakers to gather insights.

Required Qualifications, Skills and Abilities

• Extremely high analytical, synthesis and problem-solving abilities. The internship requires synthesising complex information from multiple source
• Pursuing or recently completed a degree in Economics, Public Policy, Management, or related fields from a top-tier institution
• Good research, writing skills and communication skills. Ability to create high quality outputs in a short period of time
• Great project management skills, including ability to manage multiple projects in a crunched time frame
• Proactive, curious, and detail-oriented mindset.

What We Offer:

• Exposure to high-impact projects in economic development and public policy.
• Mentorship from experienced professionals and sector experts.
• Opportunity to contribute to policy reforms with tangible outcomes.

Desired Qualities

• Deep intellectual curiosity, entrepreneurial spirit and ‘can-do’ attitude.
• Operating style suited to working in a small-organisation setting, where teamwork and resourcefulness are highly valued
• Have a growth mindset - eager to learn and constantly develop. Uses feedback as a tool for self-improvement