CEA Arvind Subramanian's press conference on his decision to quit ahead of his term ending May 2019.  Excerpts...


"It has been the best job I ever had or will ever have. It was enriching and exciting. I will go back with the happiest best memories of this tenure. I will always be committed to serving the country in future," he said.

"We have not fixed the last date," Subramanian, said on being asked about his last day in office.

"I was very much in Delhi on the day of demonetization," he said on being asked if he was present in the capital on the day of demonetization announcement. He also said that, 'Soon the process will be started for choosing my successor, let us see how it turns out."

He said the only factor that should be looked at while choosing his successor should be 'competence' and quickly added self-deprecatingly that it does not mean that he was competent.

Subramanian will go back to the US after nearly four years as India's Chief Economic Adviser, Minister Arun Jaitley announced today in a Facebook post. Mr Subramanian, in a tweet, referred to "personal reasons, researching and writing" for quitting before his term ends in October.

He would like to go back to the United States on account of pressing family commitments. ..He left me with no option but to agree with him," Arun Jaitley wrote.