Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw during a meeting with Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) delegation, in Switzerland on January 22, 2025. Photo: PTI via @AshwiniVaishnaw/X

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw took part in a series of strategic meetings in Switzerland, underscoring India’s commitment to fostering international collaboration and embracing innovative technologies in the railway sector. He also made a presentation on the Indian semiconductor ecosystem.

Before heading for the World Economic Forum (WEF) 2025 in Davos, Mr. Vaishnaw on Tuesday held several meetings. He said: “Prime Minister Narendra Modi has always guided us to benchmark our efforts to the global bests. Today’s visit is also in this direction. There is a lot of interest around the world in ‘Made in India’ products.”

World Economic Forum 2025 Day 3 LIVE Updates

A presentation showcasing the latest advancements in infrastructure diagnostics was held by the Swiss Federal Railways. Mr. Vaishnaw engaged with Swiss experts to understand the technologies that can bolster operational efficiency and safety within the Indian Railways system. It was followed by a meeting with leading railway sector small and medium enterprises, including Rhomberg Sersa Ag, Selectron, Ucentrics, Autech, and nu Glass.

Another key meeting was with Stadler Rail Management and a visit to their state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in St. Margrethen. Stadler Rail’s expertise is in producing double-decker multiple-unit trains. Mr. Vaishnaw also attended the opening dinner hosted by the board of trustees of WEF.

Semiconductor push

On Wednesday, the Union Minister made a presentation on the Indian semiconductor ecosystem to Arvind Krishna, an Indian-American business executive and the chairman and chief executive officer of IBM.

At the event, Andhra Pradesh, under the theme of Business with Speed and Innovation, is presenting its 1,054-km-long coastline, business-friendly policies, and seven airports as USPs to global investors. Andhra Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu will engage with top executives from global giants such as Unilever, DP World Group, Petroleum National Berhad (Petronas), Google Cloud, PepsiCo, and AstraZeneca.

Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy was also present at Davos. “Telangana means business. We are promoting sectors like electric vehicles, semiconductors, pharma, and infrastructure,” he said. Global companies “really want to involve themselves” with India, which is the third-largest domestic market in the world, added Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu, stating that “they are aware of the Viksit Bharat vision we have envisaged under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, where we want to become the number 1 player.”

“As a global leader and a unifying voice of the Global South, India continues to embody the ethos of unity and collective progress…India remains a key architect of a sustainable and inclusive global future,” said a government official.

India Pavilion

At Davos, the India Pavilion features eight states, each seeking investment opportunities from executives of companies worldwide. Kerala, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and West Bengal are the states that have established a presence.

This year, meetings are being held under five sub-themes: Reimagining Growth, Industries in the Intelligent Age, Investing in People, Safeguarding the Planet, and Rebuilding Trust. Over 350 governmental leaders are expected to participate this year, including 60 heads of state and government.

India has sent its largest-ever delegation to the WEF’s Annual Meeting, comprising five union ministers and three chief ministers. Nearly 100 chief executive officers and leaders from government, civil society, and the arts are also participating. Union Ministers Jayant Chaudhary and Chirag Paswan will also be there. Among the prominent faces are Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis; and Tamil Nadu Minister for Industries, Investment Promotions, and Commerce in the Government of Tamil Nadu since 2023, Dr. T. R. B. Rajaa.

At the Indian section, Promenade 67 features UP, Telangana, and Kerala pavilions. Promenade 73 features Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Andhra Pradesh pavilions.

The major sectors in which India is seeking investment include ports and logistics, IT & electronics, aerospace & defence, automobile and EV, textile & apparel, renewable energy, agriculture & food processing, and biotech and pharmaceuticals.

Union Ministers Chirag Paswan, Jayant Chaudhary and others at the inauguration of Indian pavilion at the World Economic Forum (WEF), in Davos, Switzerland.
| Photo Credit: PTI

Asserting that Indian workers prove their mettle everywhere they go including in leadership roles, Union Minister Jayant Chaudhary has said this success story is set to grow further on the global stage.

Also read: World Economic Forum 2025 January 21, 2025 highlights

Speaking to PTI in this ski resort town on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting, the Minister said the entire world is witnessing the way India is working in areas of skill development and education.

“The WEF meeting in Davos is a very big event and is attended by people related to the global economy, leaders of various countries, government and non-government organisations and corporates,” he said, while underlining a need to further stress on the Indian growth story before the world.

“Anyone working on cutting-edge technologies and those working on new ideas, they all come here. A big delegation has come here with a lot of hope and I’ve got this great opportunity to be a representative of India here,” he said soon after reaching Davos.

“The work being done in India for skill development and for the development of our youth is visible on the ground. Entire world is witnessing today that India is working very seriously in the area of skill development,” he said.

The Minister said Indian workers prove their mettle everywhere they go to work and earn their positions including in top leadership roles.

Also read: World Economic Forum 2025 January 20, 2025 highlights

“We have come to Davos to share those stories and we expect that India gets a lot more investments and even those companies not present as yet in India, come over,” he said.

Mr. Chaudhary has several government-to-government meetings as well as with the companies lined up in Davos during the course of the five-day WEF annual meeting ending on January 24.

The Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Minister of State, Ministry of Education, said he will share India’s vision of fostering a skilled workforce, driving innovation, and advancing sustainable development.

This participation underscores India’s commitment to collaboration and innovation in addressing the pressing needs of a rapidly changing world, said Chaudhary, who will be also participating in a series of panel discussions, roundtables in Davos.

As technological advancements reshape our world, global cooperation is essential to develop the standards and best practices.

“We have an opportunity to reimagine growth and social equity; to invest in people and build sustainable industries. Looking forward to engaging with global leaders on these critical issues,” he said.

The Minister will address key topics including preparing the workforce for the evolving technological landscape, envisioning a future-ready workforce, strengthening economic relations, driving investments, and exploring the impact of AI adoption in emerging markets.

The discussions will also focus on the role of skilling and scaling in driving transformational change, and the pivotal role of women in India’s workforce transformation and closing skill gaps, according to a government statement.

Putting aside their party affiliations, the Centre and States came together in Davos, at least in terms of the space for their respective pavilions.

Two India pavilions, just a few blocks apart on the same side of the famous Promenade street, together house all lounges and meeting rooms for the Union ministers, Central government departments and State governments.

The first one has pavilions of Kerala, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh. Apart from the delegation from these States, the second one has pavilions of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.

Both pavilions will also host five union ministers at different times, while the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) and Invest India are also present — the two agencies handling most of the country’s presence here.

Industry body CII is also present with a large delegation of CEOs and other business leaders.

-PTI

A logo of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland
| Photo Credit: Reuters

In an era defined by technological evolution, India stands at the forefront as one of the world’s fastest-growing economies and a global hub for startups and digital innovation, the World Economic Forum said on Monday (January 20, 2025).

The Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR) India, liaison office of World Economic Forum (WEF) in India, launched its 6-year impact journey report on the inaugural day of the WEF Annual meeting 2025.

FOLLOW: World Economic Forum 2025 Day 1 LIVE updates – January 20, 2025

The WEF said its partnership with India dates back more than 40 years.

Over the past four decades, this relationship has developed into a strong, multifaceted and meaningful collaboration with the national government, several State governments, business leaders across key industries and other important stakeholders, including civil society and leading experts, resulting in several impactful initiatives that have advanced shared priorities.

India’s advocacy for and pursuit of developmental templates where technology serves as a bridge rather than a barrier are highly relevant and the Forum is proud to act as its partner in shaping a more human-centric, planet-friendly and resilient future, the foreword of the report said.

The Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR) India was launched in 2018 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a statement of the country’s commitment to harnessing emerging technologies responsibly and inclusively for societal good.

Today, C4IR India is not just a hub for innovation; it is a flagship centre of the World Economic Forum, exemplifying a vision for technology-driven development with impactful, on-the-ground results, the Forum said.

As C4IR India enters the next phase of its journey, the new report highlighted key milestones and emphasized the importance of multi-stakeholder collaboration in scaling technologies to address complex developmental challenges.

C4IR India said its accomplishments include AI-driven agricultural programs that boost farmers’ incomes, healthcare solutions that provide access to life-saving services, and sustainable urban development frameworks that improve the quality of life in cities.

These initiatives have been made possible through strong partnerships across the public and private sectors, academia, and civil society, with a focus on creating practical solutions grounded in responsible governance, it added.

“Over the past six years, C4IR India has emerged as a key hub for multistakeholder collaboration and has improved the lives of 1.25 million citizens through enhanced livelihoods and better access to healthcare. The centre has driven Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies across agriculture, health and aviation, setting a benchmark for transformative progress. As C4IR India continues to expand, it is now focusing on cutting-edge areas such as AI, climate tech, and space tech, with exciting potential for creating lasting value for society,” Jeremy Jurgens, Managing Director, World Economic Forum, said.

S. Krishnan, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) in India, said, “Our partnership with the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution India focuses on developing a multistakeholder community to leverage Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies for critical challenges on health, education, smart cities and agriculture. AI for India 2030 is an important initiative in partnership with MeitY, enabling stakeholders across industry and startups to partner with government to realise the potential of AI.”

As India continues its rapid economic growth and strengthens its position as a global hub for digital innovation, C4IR India aims to reach 10 million citizens by scaling its flagship initiatives and upcoming projects.

These include the AI for India 2030 initiative, which seeks to unlock AI’s potential for societal benefit, the Space Economy initiative, aimed at positioning India as a leader in space technologies, and the Climate Technology programme, which will focus on developing climate-smart urban centres.

Additionally, the AVIATE India initiative will explore the future of aerial mobility to reduce urban congestion and improve rural connectivity.

Armed conflict is the top risk in 2025, a World Economic Forum (WEF) survey released last week showed, a reminder of the deepening global fragmentation as government and business leaders attend an annual gathering in Davos.

Nearly one in four of the more than 900 experts surveyed across academia, business and policymaking ranked conflict, including wars and terrorism, as the most severe risk to economic growth for the year ahead.

Extreme weather, the no. 1 concern in 2024, was the second-ranked danger.

“In a world marked by deepening divides and cascading risks, global leaders have a choice: to foster collaboration and resilience, or face compounding instability,” WEF Managing Director Mirek Dusek said in a statement accompanying the report.

“The stakes have never been higher.”

-Reuters

Nara Lokesh. File
| Photo Credit: Special arrangement

Andhra Pradesh Information Technology (IT) and Electronics and HRD Minister & chairman of the State Government’s task force committee on investments Nara Lokesh is participating in the World Economic Forum (WEF) – 2025 scheduled to be held at Davos from January 20 to 24, 2025.

A.P. will attract sizeable investments at WEF, mainly in renewable energy sector, says Naidu

During the five-day summit, Mr. Lokesh will meet more than 50 Ambassadors, industrialists, and prominent figures from various countries. He will hold one-on-one discussions with 30 globally renowned industrial leaders at the A.P. Pavilion on investment opportunities offered by the State.

A press release from the Minister’s office said he would also take part in the Education Governors’ meeting at the WEF and attend sessions on topics such as ‘Building the Ecosystem for Intelligent Industries’, ‘AI Energy Impact in the Advanced Era’, and ‘Gender Parity Sprint Champions.’

He will participate in roundtable discussions with senior executives of NVIDIA on the establishment of Next-Gen Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data centres and an AI University in the State. 

Also on Mr. Lokesh’s agenda are interactions with representatives of Google on ‘AI for Good Governance’ and a collaboration with Whiteshield (a partner of Google Cloud) among a host of other events. 

The Minister will then be a guest at a Confederation of Indian Industry’s programme on strengthening the Green Strategic Partnership between India and Denmark.