‘Maharashtra’ is India’s Gateway for Foreign Investment – Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis

Investment to come in diverse sectors across all regions of the state
Maharashtra Pavilion ready in Davos
Centre of attraction for industry and investors

Zurich, Jan 2026 : “Maharashtra is trustworthy. We do what we say. That is why the confidence of entrepreneurs and investors from across the world in Maharashtra has increased. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has created the background for the journey towards a Developed India. He has built an ecosystem. On that basis, I am confident that Maharashtra will once again attract a very large volume of investment this year,” Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said. He stated that ‘Maharashtra’ is the Gateway of India for investments coming into the country. Therefore, there is healthy competition with other states of India. Ultimately, this is beneficial for the nation. Even so, he said he is proud that Maharashtra remains ahead.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, along with Industry Minister Dr. Uday Samant and the delegation, has arrived in Davos for the World Economic Forum annual meeting. During this visit, he interacted with the media at the Maharashtra Pavilion.

Investments will be attracted across all geographical regions of Maharashtra, and coordination is being undertaken with industries from ten to twelve diverse sectors for this purpose. A Third Mumbai is now taking shape, and there are indications of major investments for it. “We have an excellent menu card. Therefore, we will be successful in attracting investors,” Chief Minister Fadnavis said.

World Economic Forum is a ‘chavdi’ for investors

The annual meeting of the World Economic Forum is, in a way, a ‘chavdi’ (meeting place) for industry and investors. Every year, Maharashtra comes here to showcase what the state has and what its capabilities are. This year too, there is confidence that investment will come in even larger measure compared to last year, because Maharashtra is at the forefront in converting such investments and related agreements into reality. Maharashtra has succeeded in implementing around 60 to 65 such agreements. While the Davos region is adorned with natural beauty, it is also a place where the world of industry comes together. Chief Minister Fadnavis appealed to entrepreneurs from Maharashtra to make full use of this platform.

Maharashtra to become a trillion-dollar economy by 2030

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Fadnavis gave an open interview at the Sakal Media Group’s Global Impact Forum. He said that over the last decade, Maharashtra has maintained an average growth rate of more than 10 per cent, and the state could become the country’s first trillion-dollar economy by 2032. However, the objective is to achieve this milestone even faster, by 2030.

He said that although the current global geopolitical situation is challenging, according to international institutions, India is the ‘bright spot’ in the global economy. While growth rates across the world are slowing, Maharashtra has succeeded in maintaining its growth rate and is attracting large-scale investment.

39 per cent of India’s FDI comes to Maharashtra

Of the total foreign direct investment that came into India last year, 39 per cent of the FDI came to Maharashtra. Therefore, Maharashtra is leading the country in terms of investment. The state government has implemented 15 to 16 policies so far, and these policies have created a capable and trustworthy ecosystem for investors. There is no shortage of investment in Maharashtra today, and a conducive environment has been created for it, the Chief Minister said.

‘MSMEs are the backbone of the economy’

Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are the backbone of the economy and have the largest share in employment generation. The central and state governments are encouraging MSMEs. Not just capital, but credibility is the most important factor today. Maharashtra has fulfilled every assurance it has given, and the state’s track record is reassuring, he said.

MoUs worth ₹16 lakh crore, conversion rate 75–80 per cent

Last year, memorandums of understanding worth ₹16 lakh crore were signed in Maharashtra. To ensure their conversion into actual investment, the state has set up a dedicated tracking mechanism. At the national level, where the conversion rate of MoUs is generally around 25 to 30 per cent, Maharashtra has achieved a rate of 50 to 55 per cent, and in the case of Davos agreements, it has reached 75 to 80 per cent. Through land allocation, approval processes, and a ‘war room’, every investor is being closely connected with the industrial sector, the Chief Minister said.

Startups, AI and future technologies

Chief Minister Fadnavis said that today startups are becoming unicorns within just three to four years, and India, especially Maharashtra, can take the lead in areas such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), data, and frontier technologies. Maharashtra also has 60 per cent of the country’s data centre capacity and has now become India’s ‘Data Centre Capital’. This capacity will be further expanded by creating a high-quality, green-energy-based power supply system, he said.

Edu-City, Innovation City and 3.5 million high-paying jobs

Near the Navi Mumbai airport, Edu-City, Innovation City, Sports City, MediCity and GCC City are being developed. Through this integrated project, around 3.5 million high-paying jobs will be created. This entire cluster will bring about a revolutionary change in India’s economy, Chief Minister Fadnavis said.

Vadhavan Port: A centre of progress for the next 100 years

Vadhavan is among the world’s top 10 ports and will be three times larger than JNPT. It will be capable of handling the world’s largest ships. The first phase will become operational within the next three years, and it will strengthen India’s maritime and supply chain for the next 100 years, he said.

Complete protection for industries

Law and order is extremely important for industrial development, and a ‘zero tolerance’ policy is being implemented in Maharashtra, the Chief Minister said. Investment in Maharashtra is safe, trustworthy, and the best for the future, he added.

Cities are the backbone of the nation’s GDP

Between 1980 and 2000, the pace of urbanisation increased rapidly and has continued since then. In this context, Prime Minister Narendra Modi changed the perspective on urbanisation. Recognising the reality that around 65 per cent of the country’s GDP is generated around cities, Prime Minister Modi began large-scale investment in cities for the first time. Due to initiatives such as the Smart City Mission, AMRUT cities, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, urban infrastructure, social sector investment and institutional development, Indian cities are now changing rapidly, Chief Minister Fadnavis said.

29 municipal corporations, 45 per cent population

Around 40 to 45 per cent of the state’s population lives in Maharashtra’s 29 municipal corporations. If the quality of life in these cities is improved and they are made more liveable, not only will citizens’ lives change, but the state’s economy will also receive a major boost, Chief Minister Fadnavis said.