India means business... come join the party: PM Modi to global CEOs

Addressing a roundtable before a dinner meet on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) gathering, Modi narrated India's growth story.

He was accompanied by top government officials including Secretary (Economic Relations) at the External Affairs Ministry, Vijay Gokhale, Foreign Secretary Jai Shankar and Secretary in the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Ramesh Abhishek.

Under the tagline of 'India Means Business', the roundtable was attended by 40 CEOs of global companies and 20 from India.

After the meeting, MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted about Modi narrating India's growth story and presenting exciting opportunities for global businesses in India.

The spokesperson also tweeted that the prime minister "hosted a roundtable meeting with CEOs of top global companies".

The Prime Minister's Office in a tweet said, "In Davos, PM @narendramodi interacted with top CEOs. He spoke about India's economic development and the investment opportunities in the nation".

Modi also met Swiss President Alain Berset here on Monday and discussed ways to deepen bilateral ties.

Berset said the discussions marked the meeting of the biggest and the oldest democracies in the world. Thanking Modi, the Swiss president said he would continue to strengthen "relations" with India.

Modi, who arrived in Davos on Monday evening, will deliver the opening keynote address on Tuesday at the world economic forum annual meeting.

Besides, he will also interact with the members of international business community of the WEF. Modi is the first Indian prime minister to attend Davos summit in 20 years.

The IMF reaffirmed that India's economy is projected to grow by 7.4 per cent in the next fiscal year, regaining the rank of the world's fastest-growing large economy as China slows down.

Like India's improving economic performance, the global economy was also on the uptick, estimated to have grown by 3.7 per cent last year and forecast to grow this year and the next by 3.9 per cent, according to the Fund's World Economic Outlook Update.

At the release of the Update in Davos, IMF head Christine Lagarde said that for the world economy, "all signs point to a further strengthening both this year and next," but cautioned that "complacency would be a mistake."

There is a huge appetite for continuous surge in foreign investments in India with no comparable opportunity available worldwide, Union minister Piyush Goyal said on Tuesday, even as he saw India's role at international platforms growing into a leader being looked into for solving problems of a 'fractured world'.

"Going forward, India's role in the world economy, in the social tensions and in the fight against terrorism and climate change is only going to grow," Goyal said in an interview here on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum.

He also said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's personal popularity and personal acceptability across the world is huge and he has emerged as the leader whom all world leaders look up for respect for leadership for tackling the problems that the world faces. "In that sense, 125 crore Indians are dining a pride of place when it comes to the world," Goyal said.

On interest being seen in India here at Davos summit, the minister said the way India is transforming into a superpower and a new economy and into a new India, the world is watching us with a great deal of interest.

"We have been the fastest growing large economy for the last three years and very clearly people see a huge investment opportunity as India develops its infrastructure.

"With a 2 trillion dollar investment trust we are looking at infrastructure, I don't think there is a comparable opportunity in the whole world," he said.

Goyal said more and more people are already looking at investment in India and the FDI has already grown in a big way and there continues to be huge appetite for further investments in India.

"Whether it's about climate change, fight against corruption and black money or issue of transparency in governance, the prime minister has put across his vision very effectively on various global platforms including G20 and the way the global powers have accepted that viewpoint, I'm confident that India's growing position is being recognised," he added.

On the theme of the Davos Summit, creating a shared future in a fractured world, and the role India can play, he said The world no more sees India just as a big market but also as a binding force in a world that is facing various tensions and risks and the one which is today being called a fractured world.