New Delhi: The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) and the Institute of Actuaries of India (IAI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen cooperation in pension research, policy development and actuarial studies.

The agreement was signed during the opening session of the two-day Joint Conference on Pensions 2026 at the India International Centre in New Delhi. The conference is being held on the theme “Sustainable Pension Systems – A Socio-Economic Imperative to Viksit Bharat.”

Under the partnership, PFRDA and IAI will work together on research, knowledge sharing, product innovation and professional training. The aim is to develop better retirement solutions that meet the changing needs of India’s growing and ageing population.

Speaking at the event, Chief Economic Advisor Dr. V. Anantha Nageswaran said India must build strong pension systems today to ensure financial security for its future elderly population. He stressed the need for simple pension products, digital access and public trust to expand pension coverage, especially in the informal sector.

PFRDA Chairperson Shri S. Ramann said the National Pension System (NPS) has created a strong retirement savings platform. He added that the next focus should be on providing stable and regular income after retirement through flexible and easy-to-understand financial products.

IAI President Ms. Preeti Chandrashekhar highlighted the importance of improving retirement security as people are living longer. She said collaboration between regulators, actuaries and technology experts will help create better pension solutions.

Asian Development Bank (ADB) official Ms. Ayako Inagaki said India’s digital public infrastructure can play a key role in expanding pension coverage.

The conference will continue with discussions on AI, data analytics, global pension trends and new retirement income solutions to support the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.