Context: The 55th World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting, will begin from January 20-24, 2025, in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland.
- India stands at the forefront of discussions, demonstrating significant advancements in artificial Intelligence (AI), renewable energy, and industrial development.
- WEF 2025 theme, “Collaboration for the Intelligent Age,”
- It will focus on global cooperation for the “Intelligent Age.”
- The key sessions will focus on AI and FDI: Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable Investment, co-organized by Invest India & WAIPA, highlighting India’s position as a hub for sustainable investment in AI-driven technologies.
India’s Key Areas of Focus at WEF 2025
India’s participation at WEF 2025 will focus on solutions across five key workstreams:
- Reimagining Growth: India’s robust economic growth trajectory, supported by policy reforms and increased foreign direct investment (FDI), continues to redefine its economic landscape.
- Investing in People: India’s commitment to human capital development is underscored by initiatives in education, skill development, and healthcare, which are pivotal for sustainable growth.
- Rebuilding Trust: With an emphasis on transparency and accountability, India aims to foster a trust-based environment for global partnerships.
- Industries in the Intelligent Age: India is rapidly transforming its industrial sector through cutting-edge technologies such as AI, automation, and digitalization.
- Safeguarding the Planet: India is taking significant steps toward sustainability, focusing on expanding renewable energy capacities and addressing environmental concerns through international collaboration.
- Growing Investment Appeal: India has surpassed $1 trillion in foreign direct investment (FDI) since April 2000, with FDI inflows reaching $42.1 billion in the first half of the fiscal year—an increase of nearly 26%.
- India’s Business Representation: Over 65 Indian business representatives with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) will attend WEF 2025. High-level representatives from six Indian states—Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and Kerala will also participate.
Sessions and Panels at WEF 2025
India will actively contribute to various high-level discussions, roundtables, and Government-to-Business (G2B) and Government-to-Government (G2G) engagements at the WEF Annual Meeting.
Key topics include:
- Sustainability and Trust: India’s policies and actions in renewable energy and environmental conservation will be discussed as part of global efforts to combat climate change.
- Food Security: India’s role in ensuring food security, particularly through technological advancements in agriculture and food processing.
- Economic Partnership and Investment: India’s strategic economic initiatives, including infrastructure development and supply chain diversification, will be presented as opportunities for global investment.
- AI for Process Transformation: India will contribute insights into the transformative role of AI in various industries, aligning with the WEF 2025 theme.
About WEF
- It was established in 1971
- It is a Swiss nonprofit foundation, established in 1971 and headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.
- The WEF developed collaboration platforms, fostering partnerships among global stakeholders to address shared challenges and find solutions to pressing global issues.
- The World Economic Forum (WEF) publishes several reports, including:
- Global Competitiveness Report
- Energy Transition Index
- Global Gender Gap Report
- Global Risk Report
- Fostering Effective Energy Transition 2024