INDORE | FRIDAY | JANUARY 23, 2026 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. 38281/83 FREE www.freepressjournal.in ESTD-1983 iii QUALITY @ VALUE EDITIONS: INDORE UJJAIN PRESS PUNE BHOPAL NASHIK MUMBAI E-paper Madhya Pradesh showcases next-decade agenda at Davos Reimagining the state’s tourism identity for the World Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav presents a forward-looking growth story anchored in investment, innovation, sustainability and human development M adhya Pradesh stepped into the World Economic Forum 2026 with the self-assurance of a state ready for larger ambitions. Led by Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav, the delegation used Davos as a platform to articulate a renewed development vision—one built on clean energy, digital transformation, sectoral depth and global partnerships. C Renewable energy as key growth driver lean energy formed one of the strongest pillars of the state’s Davos narrative. At the high-level roundtable “De-Risking the Green Leap: Sub-National Blueprint for Utility-Scale Energy Transition”, Madhya Pradesh outlined an energy model that places renewables at the strategic core of development. Chief Minister Yadav explained how India’s accelerated clean-energy journey under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has empowered states to move decisively towards green infrastructure. Madhya Pradesh, with its rapidly expanding solar ecosystem, hybrid projects and storage innovations, is now positioned as a significant contributor to India’s broader transition. He framed renewable energy not merely as environmental responsibility but as economic logic: the foundation for reliable industrial capacity, inclusive public services and balanced regional growth. Union Minister for new and renewable energy, Pralhad Joshi supported this view, praising the state’s integrated approach. He argued that Madhya Pradesh has created a governance environment that reduces investor risk through alignment of land resources, labour readiness and policy stability. Senior state officials—including additional chief secretary Manu Srivastava, Principal Secretaries Manish Singh and Raghvendra Singh, and representatives from the International Solar Alliance—offered a detailed picture of project readiness and upcoming phases. International participants, including East Java’s Deputy Governor Emil Elestianto Dardak, acknowledged the state’s forward-looking policy environment and appreciated its ability to turn renewable ambitions into implementable frameworks. Purpose and clarity mark State’s next steps Davos often rewards clarity. For Madhya Pradesh, this international gathering became a stage to present a sharpened economic and governance narrative. The state arrived not merely to participate but to position itself: as an emerging hub of investment, as a landscape prepared for technology transitions and as a region aligning its growth model with long-term sustainability. Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav’s message across sessions was consistent: Madhya Pradesh is undergoing a structural shift—one that blends economic efficiency with social inclusion, industrial readiness with environmental pragmatism and digital adoption with human-centred governance. Davos provided the global attention to tell this story in a way the world could understand. I f clean energy and technology form the structural pillars of the state’s future, tourism offers its cultural and experiential depth. In a dedicated session titled “Reimagining Tourism at Scale: How Madhya Pradesh is driving growth through innovation, culture and connectivity”, the state presented a tourism identity shaped by heritage, biodiversity and modern infrastructure. Chief Minister Yadav described Madhya Pradesh as a “landscape of layered histories and living culture” and emphasised how improved connectivity, new hospitality investments and sustainable tourism approaches are reshaping visitor experiences. Tourism secretary Dr T. Ilayaraja offered an analytical snapshot of the sector. He highlighted: n Surplus power availability, n Land and water resources, n Dedicated tourism investment policies, n World-renowned wildlife parks, n Archaeological and spiritual circuits, n Product diversity ranging from eco-tourism to heritage hospitality. Global hotel groups, lifestyle entrepreneurs and designled tourism firms at the session responded positively to the state’s clarity and diverse tourism narrative. For Madhya Pradesh, the tourism story is not only about attracting travellers but about positioning the state as a culture-rich, modern, investment-ready destination. New layer of governance: AI as tool for public efficiency T n Early-warning mechanisms for public services, n Monitoring developmental outcomes, n Strengthening digital learning ecosystems. NVIDIA outlined its five sovereign AI strategies designed to help countries develop AI capacities rooted in local data and national priorities. The company welcomed the state’s interest in building skill-development pipelines and exploring pilot programmes across governance, education and agriculture. For Madhya Pradesh, the conversation marked a shift toward deeper techno-administrative integration—aligning public systems with next-generation digital capabilities. echnology was the second major axis of Madhya Pradesh’s global pitch. In a focused meeting with Calista Redmond, Global vice president for AI Initiatives at NVIDIA, the state articulated a vision for governance anchored in artificial intelligence. Rather than treating AI as a futuristic add-on, Madhya Pradesh positioned it as an enabler of efficiency, transparency and equitable delivery. The state intends to use AI for: n Precision advisory systems for farmers, n Improved delivery and verification of welfare schemes, Sports as strategic avenue for youth & regional branding health, community participation and international exposure. Football, with its global influence, offers a powerful medium for building aspiration among youth. Economic signalling backed by ground realities I n his media interactions, Chief Minister Yadav anchored Madhya Pradesh’s Davos narrative within India’s broader economic ascent. As India strengthens its position as the world’s fourth-largest economy and positions itself to become the third, the state sees new opportunities in manufacturing, agriculture, services and tourism. He cited recent outcomes from the Global Investors Summit 2025, noting that 30% of investment proposals have already been grounded. He also highlighted that on December 25, 2025, Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated and laid foundation stones for projects exceeding Rs 2 lakh crore in Gwalior. This brings the cumulative value of grounded industrial and infrastructure projects to Rs 8.5 lakh crore. Madhya Pradesh has designated 2026 as the ‘Year of Farmers’ Prosperity’, signalling a deeper push toward food processing, horticulture, dairy, fisheries and agri-linked industries. Pharma ambitions strengthened through global engagement I n Davos, the state expanded its commitment to building a strong presence in pharmaceuticals and life sciences. A detailed discussion with Carlo Gargiulo, Global head for small molecules and anti-infectives operations at Sandoz, centred on the possibilities of establishing formulation units, API facilities and advanced manufacturing clusters in the state. Sandoz, known globally for its presence in generics and biosimilars, shared insights into regulatory pathways, quality frameworks and the growing global demand for essential medicines. Madhya Pradesh presented its strengths—industrial corridors with ready infrastructure, policy ease, trained manpower and supportive regulatory mechanisms. The discussion went beyond investment. It explored, supply-chain stabilisation, talent development in specialised pharma skills, operational excellence standards and frameworks for long-term manufacturing partnerships. For Madhya Pradesh, the conversation helped establish credibility in a sector where precision, compliance and global integration are crucial. O D avos offered Madhya Pradesh a notable opportunity: The ability to engage in government-to-government dialogues outside the usual bilateral frameworks. One such conversation unfolded with Mohamed Saeed, Maldives’ minister for Economic Development and Trade. Tourism formed the natural starting point. Maldives viewed Madhya Pradesh’s heritage strength as a complementary model to its island-based tourism economy. The two sides explored possibilities for: n Collaborative tourism circuits, n Medical tourism pathways, n Fisheries and aquatic eco-system linkages, n Skill-exchange programmes, n Wildlife conservation approaches, n Cultural festivals and youth exchanges. Similarly, a meeting with Samuel Giger, member of the National Council of Switzerland, broadened the diplomatic arc. Discussions touched upon clean-energy technology, sustainable manufacturing, recycling models, and tribal development—an area where Madhya Pradesh has unique demographic significance. These engagements demonstrated a clear forward tilt: the state is aligning itself with global expertise in areas where structural transformation is underway. Economic logic behind state’s pitch A O ne of the more unexpected yet impactful engagements came through a meeting with Avram “Avi” Glazer, Executive co-chairman and director of Manchester United. In a discussion that balanced sports diplomacy with economic logic, the two sides examined how sports infrastructure and training ecosystems can contribute to regional identity and youth development. Chief Minister Yadav described sports as a developmental tool— one that strengthens discipline, Diplomatic conversations build economic bridges t the WEF roundtable “Invest in India: Madhya Pradesh – A Strategic Investment Centre”, the state delivered its clearest economic message. Yadav positioned Madhya Pradesh as a region where: n Policy clarity meets sectoral depth, n Industrial infrastructure is matched by abundant land and water, n Connectivity—road, rail and air—is improving at scale. The roundtable’s investor mix showed sharp interest in sectors such as: n Automotive manufacturing, n Renewable energy solutions, n Pharmaceuticals and chemicals, n Textiles and design-led apparel, n IT–ITeS and digital services, n Food processing, n Logistics and multimodal transport systems. The Chief Minister emphasised that proposals generating employment would receive customised support from the state’s Cabinet Committee for Investment Promotion. Industry Voices at the Table n Nikhil Kamath, Co-Founder, Zerodha n Dr Bharat Kaushal, Executive Chairman & MD, Hitachi India n Karen Baeert, Co-Founder & CEO, Amovia n Andrew Ponec, CEO, Antora Energy n Andris Peneda, Global VP, AB InBev n Ishan Pratap Singh, Founder, New Delhi Hub n Kalyan Kumar, Global CTO, HCL Technologies The discussion ventured into policy refinement for tourism, housing, energy, design, entertainment, exports and intellectual property, underlining the broad canvas available for investment. Logistics agreement signals new ambitions ne of the most consequential outcomes of the state’s Davos presence came on Thursday, when Madhya Pradesh signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with DP World, the Dubai-based global leader in logistics and supply-chain infrastructure. The agreement was formalised in the Chief Minister’s presence, with additional chief secretary Neeraj Mandloi signing on behalf of the state government. The MoU outlines collaboration in, multimodal logistics infrastructure, supply-chain digitisation, large-scale warehousing capacity, cold-chain development and industrial-trade connectivity. DP World expressed strong interest in integrating the state into its wider global network. For Madhya Pradesh, this agreement signals a deeper ambition—to transform from a landlocked state into a logistics-efficient industrial centre with national and international reach. Day 1 underscores MP’s innovation priorities a clear pattern: frontier nologies, climate-aligned growth, sustainable financing high-value innovation Madhya Pradesh’s Day 1 corporate interactions establishedframeworks andthe state is interested insystems. tech- Key engagements included Shiru (USA) m Sector: AI-driven protein innovation, agri-food science, biotech m Representative: Dr Jasmin Hume, CEO & Founder m Focus: Sustainable food s ystems, emerging protein technologies, agritech ecosystems. Israel Innovation Authority (IIA) m Sector: Deep tech, quantum technology, water innovation, edtech m Leader: Dr Elan Stopel, Chairman m Focus: R&D partnerships, water-tech solutions, Engagements with Leading Indian Companies A m m m m m m quantum research, innovation pipelines. TouchLab Sector: AI, digital simulation, emerging tech Representative: Herve Kouraye, Advisor Focus: AI models for operational efficiency, real-time digital systems. Bloomberg Media Sector: Business media, global communication Leader: Sunita Rajan, Managing Director Focus: International visibility, policy longside global corporates, Madhya Pradesh deepened dialogues with India’s leading institutions, each opening new possibilities. JBIC Follow-Up: Japan Bank for International Cooperation explored large-scale renewable financing, food processing opportunities, storytelling, media partnerships. Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) m Sector: International financing, manufacturing, renewable energy financing m Leader: Hashiyama Shigeto m Focus: Yen loans, manufacturing collaboration, solar and green-energy opportunities. Across these meetings, Madhya Pradesh positioned itself as a state prepared to absorb new technologies, welcome innovative finance, and scale sustainable industries. farm-linked manufacturing and long-term partnership frameworks. Reliance Industries: Meetings with Reliance focused on renewable energy initiatives and bio-energy projects in the Chambal region, indicating a shared interest in next-generation energy ecosystems. Day 2 : Focused engagements on energy transition & digital capacity state’s expanded ambitions systems, cloud infrastructure Day 2 engagements reflected theand advanced logistics. across tourism, hydrogen eco- Key meetings included John Keells Holdings Ltd m Sector: Food processing, logistics, tourism, wildlife conservation m Leader: Krishan N. Balendra m Focus: Integrated supply chains, heritage tourism, wildlife protection, hospitality collaborations. Crescent Enterprises m Sector: Healthcare, lo- GeoStar Discussions centred on: n Multimedia documentation of tourism sites, n Immersive audio-visual storytelling, n National Geographicstyle global branding. gistics, infrastructure m Leader: Tushar Singhvi m Focus: Medical infrastructure development, logistics modernisation, skill partnerships. Google – Asia Pacific m Sector: Cloud computing, AI, digital infrastructure m Leader: Sanjay Gupta, VP APAC m Focus: Sovereign cloud models, AI skilling, Bloomberg Media A strategic discussion examined Madhya Pradesh’s potential representation at the upcoming Bloomberg New Economy Forum, expanding the state’s corporate diplomacy. data-centre opportunities, digital connectivity. Tree Energy Solutions (TES) m Sector: Green hydrogen, electronic natural gas (e-NG) m Leader: Marco Alvera, CEO m Focus: hydrogen clusters, green fuels, clean-energy storage. IREDA (Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency) CMD Pradip Kumar Das outlined pathways for supporting: n Solar, wind and bio-energy financing, n Hybrid energy models, n Large-scale renewable infrastructure. Chief Minister’s official social media handles D-16152