Union ministers Ashwini Vaishnaw, C.R. Patil, Chirag Paswan, K. Ram Mohan Naidu, and Jayant Chaudhary, alongside three chief ministers — Devendra Fadnavis, Chandrababu Naidu, and Revant Reddy — will join hundreds of government and business leaders from around the world in the Swiss ski resort town of Davos next month for the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2025.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Naidu will also be accompanied by his son and senior state minister, Nara Lokesh. Additionally, Karnataka's Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, Tamil Nadu Minister T.R.B. Rajaa, and Uttar Pradesh Minister Suresh Khanna will attend the five-day annual gathering of the world’s influential figures, starting 20 January 2025.
Actor Bhumi Pednekar, known for her roles in Dum Laga Ke Haisha, Toilet: Ek Prem Katha, Shubh Mangal Saavdhan, Pati Patni Aur Woh, Badhai Do, and Saand Ki Aankh, will also be present at the event.
The meeting will host over 50 Presidents and Prime Ministers, as well as top officials from international organisations such as the United Nations, IMF, World Bank, Interpol, NATO, European Central Bank, and WTO.
Senior ministers from Pakistan and Bangladesh, including Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser and interim government head Muhammad Yunus, will also be in attendance.
Ashwini Vaishnaw, the Minister for Railways, Information & Broadcasting, and Electronics & IT, attended last year’s WEF Annual Meeting alongside Union Ministers Smriti Irani and Hardeep Singh Puri. This year, Vaishnaw will be joined by Jal Shakti Minister Patil, Food Processing Industries Minister Paswan, Civil Aviation Minister Naidu, and Minister of State for Skill Development and Education Chaudhary.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has previously attended the summit, though there is no official confirmation of his participation in this high-profile event. The central theme of this year’s meeting is “Collaboration for the Intelligent Age.”
Nearly 50 heads of state and government are expected to attend the annual meeting, which will take place against a backdrop of geopolitical and macroeconomic challenges, including the ongoing Ukraine war, the West Asia crisis, and a change of regime in the United States.
In 2018, both Modi and Donald Trump attended the WEF Annual Meeting for the first time as India’s Prime Minister and the U.S. President, respectively. Modi recently secured a third consecutive term as Prime Minister, while Trump is set to begin his second term on 20 January 2025. Trump’s return is likely to be a key topic of discussion in Davos.
Chief Ministers Fadnavis and Naidu have attended multiple WEF Annual Meetings, while Telangana Chief Minister Reddy participated in January 2024.
In addition to government leaders and civil society members, Indian representation will include top executives from major business groups like Reliance, Tata, Adani, Birla, Bharti, Mahindra, Godrej, Jindal, Bajaj, and Vedanta. Mukesh Ambani, Gautam Adani, and next-generation leaders from their respective companies are expected to be present.
Technology leaders such as Salil Parekh of Infosys, Rishad Premji of Wipro, Sumant Sinha of ReNew, Vijay Shekhar Sharma of Paytm, and Adar Poonawalla of Serum Institute will also attend.
Geneva-based WEF describes itself as an international organisation for public-private cooperation. Its 55th annual meeting will convene leaders from government, business, civil society, science, and culture under the theme “Collaboration for the Intelligent Age.”
The WEF has stated that the meeting will provide a global platform for dialogue and collaboration, bringing together diverse stakeholders to address complex challenges and focus on future-oriented solutions.
Several sessions featuring Indian leaders are planned, including one on “India’s Economic Blueprint.” As one of the fastest-growing major economies, India’s growth rate of over 8 per cent is driven by innovation and technology-focused initiatives in manufacturing, representing a shift from traditional export-oriented models.
The meeting will take place at a critical time when geo-economic fragmentation, geopolitical polarisation, and value-based divisions impact nations and communities globally. At the same time, rapid advancements in interconnected technologies — such as AI, quantum computing, energy tech, biotech, and health tech — present opportunities to boost productivity and living standards.
Reviving and reimagining economic growth will be central to the discussions, as leaders aim to build stronger, more resilient economies. The agenda will focus on avoiding an “Age of Fragmentation” by fostering a collaborative and people-centred approach to the “Intelligent Age.”
Global leaders will also address pressing challenges such as climate change and the ethical use of AI, exploring innovative solutions to overcome low-growth and high-debt global conditions.
Follow us
