Union Minister Vaishnaw takes part in series of meetings at WEF 2025 Today World News

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.”

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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.