India is set to make a prominent appearance at the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos, which begins Monday. The country is sending its largest-ever delegation, comprising five union ministers, three state chief ministers, and nearly 100 CEOs and leaders from government, civil society, and the arts.
India’s presence highlights its “unity in diversity” as it looks to showcase its growing economic power and global influence. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who will lead the Indian delegation, stressed on WEF’s interest in understanding India’s economic policies, digital transformation, and the country’s new digital infrastructure under the Digital India initiative.
“In the World Economic Forum in Davos, there is a lot of interest in understanding our thought process, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s economic policy, digital transformation, and the way India has created a new digital architecture under the Digital India programme,” Vaishnaw said before departing for Davos.
Vaishnaw, along with fellow ministers CR Patil, Chirag Paswan, Jayant Chaudhary, and K Ram Mohan Naidu, will engage in discussions about inclusive growth, investment in infrastructure, and democratising technology. They will be joined by the chief ministers of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana—Devendra Fadnavis, N Chandrababu Naidu, and A. Revanth Reddy, respectively.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has left for Davos in Switzerland to attend the World Economic Forum (WEF), a communication issued by the CM’s office stated on Sunday. Fadnavis left for Davos at midnight for the five-day event that begins on Monday.
As per the statement, the chief minister is expected to sign memoranda of understanding (MoUs) for data centres, automobiles, semiconductors, electric vehicles, electronics, steel, food processing, textiles, pharma, infrastructure and other sectors during his visit. Efforts will be towards achieving the objective of making Maharashtra a trillion-dollar economy, and employment generation will also be the focus, it said.
Andhra CM Naidu to promote “Brand AP” at World Economic Forum
Naidu said that he plans to promote “Brand AP” and present the state as an attractive investment destination to global business leaders and industrialists.
A statement on Saturday mentioned that the CM will use the platform to emphasize the state’s strengths, including its human resources, infrastructure, government subsidies, stable leadership, and efficient business environment, to attract both national and international companies.
Naidu will leave Amaravati for Delhi at 4 pm on Sunday, followed by a flight to Zurich at 1.30 am on Monday. In Zurich, Naidu will meet India’s ambassador to Switzerland. Later, he will meet industrialists at a local hotel and follow it up with a meeting with Telugu industrialists. After this engagement, the chief minister will embark on a four-hour drive to Davos. IT Minister Nara Lokesh, Industries Minister TG Bharat and other officials will accompany the chief minister to Davos.
Leaders from Karnataka, Tamil Nadu to be in Davos
Several other state leaders, including Karnataka’s Deputy CM DK Shivakumar, Tamil Nadu’s TRB Rajaa, and Kerala’s P Rajeeve, will also attend. Uttar Pradesh’s leaders will highlight the ongoing Mahakumbh in Prayagraj, emphasising the state’s cultural and economic significance.
Maharashtra aims to sign Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) worth Rs 7 lakh crore during the meeting, while Telangana and Andhra Pradesh will seek investments to fuel their economic growth. The union government will also present India as a key investment destination.
Ahead of the meeting, a WEF survey of global economists predicted weaker global economic conditions for 2025, but projected that India would maintain strong growth despite some loss of momentum. “South Asia, particularly India, is expected to maintain strong growth,” the WEF’s Chief Economists Outlook stated.
The meeting will address economic, geopolitical, and environmental risks facing the world. The WEF’s Global Risks Report highlighted state-based armed conflict as the top immediate risk for 2025, amid rising geopolitical tensions. Misinformation, environmental risks, and biodiversity loss are expected to dominate the 10-year outlook.
Donald Trump to be in Davos for WEF
A group of political leaders, including US President-elect Donald Trump, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, will participate in the event. Other notable leaders, such as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and China’s Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang, are also expected to attend.
The WEF will feature nearly 3,000 leaders from over 130 countries, including 350 government officials, 1,600 business leaders, and 170 civil society representatives. Discussions will centre on re-launching global growth, harnessing new technologies, and strengthening resilience in the face of global challenges.
“We’re bringing together close to 3,000 decision-makers from governments, business, and civil society to address the challenges of a world in deep transformation,” said Klaus Schwab, Founder and Chairman of the WEF.
The theme of the 55th Annual Meeting is “Collaboration for the Intelligent Age.” Participants will seek to foster cooperation and optimism, focusing on creating a more sustainable and inclusive future.