Desi cuisine and yoga will mark the start of the five-day annual jamboree of the rich and powerful from across the world in the snow-laden Swiss ski resort town of Davos later this month, where India will be in the spotlight with Prime Minister Narendra Modi marking his presence for the first time.
The Indian presence is set to be the largest-ever with the Prime Minister, as many as six union ministers, two chief ministers, several top government officials, and over 100 CEOs among others, already figuring among the registered participants.
The welcome reception on the inaugural evening will be hosted by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India), which will showcase "India's exquisite cuisine and age-old yoga heritage as well as the spirit of a young, innovative New India".
India’s Top Leaders At WEF Davos
The official sessions at the WEF will also have special India-focused discussions, including one on "India's role in the world", how it is rethinking economics with the use of big data in policymaking, and the country's role in securing peace and stability in the Asian century.
The participants from India include Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Railways Minister Piyush Goyal, Commerce Minister Suresh Prabhu, Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of State for External Affairs MJ Akbar, and MoS for Development of North Eastern Region of India Jitendra Singh.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, his Andhra Pradesh counterpart Chandrababu Naidu and Telangana Minister KT Rama Rao are also among the registered government leaders from India, alongside a number of senior government officials including Ramesh Abhishek, Atul Chaturvedi, and Amitabh Kant who will participate in a number of panel discussions.
The Indian leaders are also expected to hold a number of bilateral and multilateral meetings on the sidelines.
International Leaders at the WEF Davos
Apart from US President Donald Trump, China is also expected to have a significant presence. Its Belt Road Initiative is expected to feature as a key theme in a number of panel discussions, including those attended by Pakistani leaders.
Those expected to be present from Pakistan are Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. along with a number of his cabinet colleagues, as well as Pakistan People's Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.
France's Emmanuel Macron will also be there and the entire top government leadership of Switzerland has confirmed its presence, while more names are expected to be announced in the coming days.
Other Notable Names at WEF Davos
The Indian presence will also include over 100 CEOs including Mukesh Ambani, Chanda Kochhar, Uday Kotak, Bollywood actor Shahrukh Khan, filmmaker Karan Johar, as well as Congress leader Kamal Nath.
Other big names from India and abroad include former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan and IMF chief Christine Lagarde.
(With inputs from PTI)
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