Fadnavis Connects with International Leaders and Corporate Titans at Davos for Investment Opportunities

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Fadnavis Connects with International Leaders and Corporate Titans at Davos for Investment Opportunities

Synopsis

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis participated in pivotal meetings with global leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Focused on investment and collaboration, discussions included energy transitions, healthcare manufacturing, and technological advancements.

Key Takeaways

  • Maharashtra's energy capacity aims to rise from 48 GW to 78 GW.
  • Focus on renewable energy and sustainable growth in collaborations.
  • NTT DATA's role in the state's data center ecosystem is crucial.
  • Hyundai plans to launch 'Made in Maharashtra' cars by October.
  • DP World committed to investing in Maharashtra's trade infrastructure.

Mumbai, Jan 22 (NationPress) Maharashtra's Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis engaged in a series of significant discussions with seasoned politicians and corporate leaders during the World Economic Forum (WEF) at Davos.

The conversations were centered on enhancing partnerships and bolstering Maharashtra's image as a premier investment hub.

Fadnavis held a noteworthy meeting with former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair to delve into public transport and energy transition issues. He remarked, “With over 50 percent of our energy soon sourced from renewables, Maharashtra is leading this shift.” Blair showed interest in visiting India and discussed the progress of India, the Davos agenda, and Maharashtra’s key role as an energy powerhouse.

Furthermore, he highlighted the state's ambitious goal of increasing energy capacity from 48 GW to 78 GW.

In a session with Ville Tavio, Finland’s Minister for Foreign Trade and Development, Fadnavis discussed ways to strengthen ties. “We talked about organizing a ‘Magnetic Maharashtra’ roadshow in Finland, focusing on renewable energy, green hydrogen, and the chemical and fertilizer industries,” he stated, emphasizing a mutual commitment to sustainable development.

The Chief Minister also connected with Abhijit Dubey, CEO of NTT DATA, a key player in Maharashtra’s data center landscape. “With 1 GW of data center capacity, NTT is crucial to our technological infrastructure. Our talks highlighted transformative prospects, and NTT reaffirmed its support for Maharashtra,” Fadnavis noted.

An engaging discussion with Jerzy Janeczko, CIO of Lonza Group, highlighted Maharashtra's potential in healthcare manufacturing. “We sought ways to expedite innovations in pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and nutrition while promoting world-class manufacturing and advanced solutions,” Fadnavis explained.

Fadnavis also met with Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Group Chairman of DP World, and Rizwan Soomar, MD and CEO (India & Africa). Their discussions focused on India's position as a global trade center and Maharashtra's significant role. “DP World confirmed its ongoing investments in Maharashtra, with plans for industrial parks and enhanced logistics, as well as exploring Hyperloop technology to improve trade infrastructure,” Fadnavis shared.

In a conversation with Il Bum Kim, Executive Vice President of Hyundai Motor Group, Fadnavis discussed the firm's plan to launch ‘Made in Maharashtra’ vehicles by October and establish a new production facility in Pune. “Hyundai aims to customize products for the Indian market and is keen on collaborating with the state on CSR initiatives,” he remarked.

The CM also congratulated Hyundai for its successful IPO, emphasizing Maharashtra’s role in the company’s growth.

Additionally, he met with Jeetu Patel, EVP and Chief Product Officer of Cisco, to discuss advancements in cybersecurity and Cisco’s impact on Maharashtra’s networking solutions. “We examined the Maha-Cyber initiative and the potential use of Splunk, Cisco’s recent acquisition, to strengthen our cybersecurity framework,” he stated.