PM Modi in Davos; India to showcase business oppurtunities in country at WEF

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is believed to hardsell India as an investment destination and will pitch the countrys as a major driver of global economic growth at World Economic Forum (WEF) held at Switzerland’s Davos.

The theme of the World Economic Forum is 'Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World'.

PM Modi will be the first Indian prime minister to attend the WEF in over 20 years. H D Deve Gowda participated as a prime minister in the economic forum in 1997.

The Indian Prime Minister will be meeting Swiss President Alain Bersetand as he lands in Davos on Monday.

PM Modi to host round table dinner

According to a government officer, later in the evening the prime minister will also host a roundtable dinner at the main venue of the forum, which will be attended by at least 1500 delegates.

Around 40 global industry headincluding Airbus CEO Dirk Hoke, Hitachi Chairman Hiroaki Nakanishi and WEF founder Professor Klaus Schwab will take part.

“Top bosses of multinational firms from 18 countries and 20 Indian CEOs will be attending the dinner,” added the officer.

“During the event, India’s achievement in business, along with the opportunities and the offers the country provides will be detailed to the participants. All attending the reception will get a glimpse of rich culture and taste Indian cuisine,” the officer added.

Largest presence in 48 years

According to government officials India’s presence in the WEF is the largest in the last 48-years.

Around 130 chief executive officers (CEOs) will be attending the annual event, which will witness 70 heads of state and governments and 2000 business leaders.

The Indian delegation is being led by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), which includes Mukesh Ambani, Gautam Adani, N Chandrasekaran, Rahul Bajaj, Chanda Kochhar, Azim Premji, Ajay Singh and Uday Kotak .

History of WEF

WEF was first held in 1971. Then it was known as European Management Forum.  The first meeting was attended by 400 European business leaders at the Davos Congress Centre under the patronage of the European Commission.

In last 46 years, WEF held its annual meeting once outside Davos in 2002.  The economic forum meeting was shifted to New York in 2002 to show solidarity with that city and the American public after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.