WEF 2018: PM Modi at Davos Today, Eyes Big Investment Push a Year Before Polls
Modi's visit comes 20 years after former PM H D Deve Gowda led the Indian delegation at Davos.
New Delhi, Jan 22: A week before the government presents its last full-term budget under his tenure, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday left for Davos to attend the World Economic Forum 2018. The extravagant business summit, being attended by over 3,000 global business and political elite, is considered to be the final major opportunity before the current regime to attract investment, before it's term concludes in 2019.
Along with Modi, Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Suresh Prabhu, Minister for Petroleum Dharmendra Pradhan and Minister for Railways Piyush Goyal would also be attending the WEF, leading their respective delegations.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, currently overlooking the Budget preparations by his Ministry, would be attending the event on Wednesday. Heads of various state governments would also be participating,in a bid to win investments for their states.
The plenary session of WEF is slated to begin on Tuesday. Modi is among the 70 heads of sovereign States who would be addressing the session. US President Donald Trump, France's Emmanuel Macron, UK PM Theresa May and Pakistan's Shahid Khaqan Abbasi are also among the speakers scheduled to address the summit tomorrow.
Among the Indian business tycoons who would be present at Swiss town, include - Reliance Industries Limited Group chairman Mukesh Ambani, Mahindra Group chairman Anand Mahindra, Tata Group chief N Chandrasekaran, Adani Group's founder and chairman Gautam Adani and Wipro's Azim Premji, among others.
New Delhi last participated at the WEF in 1997, when the then PM H D Deve Gowda led the Indian delegation at Davos. According to Yoginder Alagh, who was a minister in the Gowda-led United Democratic Front government, India had received the maximum investment in energy sector.
20 years later, the Narendra Modi-led regime is much-better poised to seek investments, with India already succeeding to present itself as a business hotspot in the aftermath of 2008 global financial crisis.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 22, 2018 11:32 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).