Top representatives of industry should have their diaries full over the next two weeks as three states - Gujarat, Rajasthan and West Bengal - have lined up business summits one after the other through January. While all three have called these events the ultimate destination for investors, neither Gujarat nor West Bengal has made the list of participating chief executive officers of India Inc public so far. The first summit - a two-day affair - will take off in West Bengal on January 7, followed by Vibrant Gujarat in Gandhinagar from January 11 to 13, and then a Partnership Summit along with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in Rajasthan from January 15 to 17.
Even as several names of international participants have been revealed for Vibrant Gujarat, the state authorities managing these shows said they were still working on finalising the industry list. In the case of Vibrant Gujarat, which is entering its seventh edition, business interest seems to be high, people close to the summit said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who as chief minister of Gujarat had started the show, will open the meet this year, making India Inc queue up. In 2013, BJP-ruled Gujarat's top business show had attracted the who's who of India Inc, including Mukesh Ambani of Reliance Industries, Cyrus Mistry of Tata Group, Anand Mahindra of Mahindra & Mahindra and Gautam Adani of the Adani group among others. It is likely to be the same this year.
The CII Partnership Summit in Jaipur is expecting over 40 top business representatives, including Ajay Shriram, Subodh Bhargava, C K Birla, Pramod Bhasin, Anil Sardana and S Gopalakrishnan, an official said. The likes of Ambani brothers and Cyrus Mistry are not part of the participants' list in the summit to be hosted in BJP-ruled Rajasthan.
Though the Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal is making a bid to woo investors through the global business summit, senior officials remained tight-lipped on the guest list. Sources close to the event said some prominent industrialists from outside Bengal who have invested in the state are likely to fly to Kolkata. Also, around 1,000 international delegates are expected from 20 countries, including the UK, Japan, Singapore and Malaysia. There are strong chances of two Cabinet ministers - Arun Jaitley and Nitin Gadkari - to attend the Bengal meet, sources said. A few days ago, West Bengal Finance Minister Amit Mitra had told reporters in an interaction that "our best test would be the upcoming business summit". Pointing out that the state had improved the fiscal position for the last three-and-a-half years, he said, "I would like to hear from them (corporate honchos) if we are right...'' For its roadshows in Delhi and Mumbai earlier, business chambers CII and Federation Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry or Ficci were involved.
While CII is partnering the Rajasthan summit and is also supporting the Bengal and Gujarat events, Ficci is involved with a few sessions in both Gujarat and Bengal. The Tamil Nadu government is also lining up a business summit soon, for which Ficci is likely to be a partner, a source said. Maharashtra is also learnt to be planning a business summit. Last year, too, saw several investor summits across states, including in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
Officials linked with such events did not want to talk about the quantum of investments that such summits attract. But they pointed out that it's all about giving a boost to the already positive investor sentiment around India after the Narendra Modi government took charge and some of the recent measures to remove doubts over the country's economy and decision-making.
Perhaps, as a proof of India means business, delegates from 45 countries are likely to come to Jaipur for the Rajasthan business summit and 20 for Bengal. At least 30 top CEOs have confirmed participation in Vibrant Gujarat. Vodafone group CEO Vittorio Colao (UK), CEO of Rio Tinto Sam Walsh (Australia), Chairman and CEO of Suzuki Motor Corporation Osamu Suzuki (Japan) and CEO of China Light and Power Richard Lancaster (Hong Kong) are among those confirmed for Vibrant Gujarat. World Bank President Jim Yong Kim is also slated to attend. Among dignitaries from other countries, Prime Minister of Macedonia Nikola Gruevski is likely to go for both Gujarat and Rajasthan summits, besides ministers from several other countries.
