Indian states present a coast-to-heartland investment story at Davos

From Kerala to Uttar Pradesh, Indian states are using the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos to position themselves as complementary investment destinations, pitching sector-specific strengths while presenting India as a unified market for global capital.

At the World Economic Forum 2026, being held from January 19 to 23 in Switzerland, nine Indian states are participating under the India Pavilion, coordinated by the Confederation of Indian Industry, with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade leading the national pitch. Union ministers and chief ministers from multiple states are attending the meeting, signalling a coordinated federal push to attract investment.

The participating states—Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Assam and Jharkhand—are aligning their messaging around ease of doing business, digital approvals and infrastructure readiness, while highlighting distinct sectoral opportunities.

Several states are also leveraging the World Economic Forum’s Digital FDI initiative, which supports countries in attracting investment into digital infrastructure, alongside India’s National Single Window System to streamline approvals and clearances.

Maharashtra, already India’s largest data centre market, is pitching itself as a global digital and maritime convergence hub. The state is highlighting its integrated ecosystem spanning ports, logistics, shipbuilding, renewable energy, green steel and digital infrastructure.

Andhra Pradesh is positioning itself as a port-led manufacturing and food-security state, drawing attention to its long coastline, industrial corridors and under-utilised manufacturing zones, while expanding into defence, clean energy and tourism-linked investments.

Gujarat, India’s most industrialised coastal state, is reinforcing its reputation as a scale-ready manufacturing base, anchored in ports, petrochemicals, chemicals and export-oriented clusters. At Davos, it is also exploring opportunities to attract global capability centres and advanced textile manufacturing.

Kerala, with limited heavy industry but strong human capital, is presenting itself as a knowledge-driven green economy. The state is focusing on technology-led, skill-intensive sectors such as IT, healthcare, education and services.

Telangana, already a major pharmaceutical and life sciences hub, is positioning Hyderabad as a next-generation centre for life sciences, deep tech and artificial intelligence. The state is highlighting its strengths in vaccine production, bulk drugs, R&D and medical innovation.

Uttar Pradesh, India’s largest consumer market, is pitching itself as a scale-driven manufacturing and consumption hub. The state is emphasising its expanding electronics, defence and infrastructure corridors, and positioning itself as an infra-ready destination for clean energy, digital infrastructure and defence manufacturing.

Madhya Pradesh, leveraging its central location, is presenting itself as a cost-competitive manufacturing and processing alternative. The state is highlighting opportunities in agri-processing, automotive manufacturing, renewable energy and electric vehicle ecosystems.

Making its Davos debut, Assam is positioning itself as a gateway to the Northeast and a key part of India’s eastward growth and connectivity strategy. The state is focusing on energy, regional connectivity and workforce preparation for an increasingly automated and AI-driven economy.

Jharkhand, traditionally focused on mineral extraction, is pitching a shift toward value-added manufacturing. The state is highlighting plans around green metallurgy, recycling, circular economy systems and energy security.

Despite varied sectoral priorities, the common theme across state pitches is policy stability, faster approvals and collaborative growth. For India, Davos continues to serve as a platform to project reform momentum and openness to global investment, with the India Pavilion emphasising coordination over competition among states.