Strengthening institutional capacity is increasingly recognised as the cornerstone for achieving sustainable and inclusive development. In India and globally, capacity development (CD) is evolving from short-term training approaches to more systemic, collaborative, and evidence-based strategies. It is in this context that the IIHS conceptualised the Capacity Development Forum (CDF) as a platform to bring together diverse stakeholders involved in CD, in government, academia, civil society, private sector, and international actors, to foster a dynamic ‘community of practice’. CDF’s long-term objective is to enhance the effectiveness of CD initiatives through peer learning, cocreation of knowledge, and the development of an open-access repository of practices and insights. Each annual edition of the forum addresses a contemporary theme of national relevance. Building on earlier editions that focused on individual capacity building (2021), enabling environments for CD (2023), and behavioural insights in institutional design (2024), the 2025 theme, ‘Reimagining Institutional Capacity Development for a Sustainable Future’, recognises institutional capacity as the foundation for systemic transformation. It explores how governance, policies, communication, financial strategies, and performance systems can be strengthened to deliver long-term societal impact.