Ashwini Vaishnaw highlights vision of New India matching global best at WEF 2025

Davos: Minister of Railways, Electronics & IT Ashwini Vaishnaw has highlighted the vision of a New India with its transformative rail initiatives and sustainable infrastructure growth in his meetings with global industry leaders at the World Economic Forum 2025.

“With Prime Minister Narendra Modi benchmarking India’s efforts to the global best…There is a lot of interest around the world for our made-in-India products,” Vaishnaw, the leader of the Indian delegation, said after attending a dinner hosted by the WEF Board of Trustees.

The engagements at WEF 2025 in Davos exemplify India’s proactive approach to embracing global best practices and technology to achieve the dual goals of economic growth and sustainable development, the minister added.

Vaishnaw has held meetings to forge deeper collaborations with global industry leaders as part of the vision to establish India as a global manufacturing hub.

The discussions underscored India’s commitment to fostering international collaboration and embracing innovative technologies in the railway sector.

The minister also attended a presentation by Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) in Zurich before arriving in Davos, where the latest advancements in infrastructure diagnostics were showcased. Vaishnaw engaged with Swiss experts to understand the cutting-edge technologies that can bolster operational efficiency and safety within the Indian Railways system.

This was followed by a meeting with leading railway sector SMEs, including Rhomberg Sersa Ag, Selectron, Ucentrics, Autech, and nu Glass. These interactions focused on exploring potential partnerships and technology transfers, particularly in areas such as smart railway solutions and sustainable manufacturing practices.

A significant highlight was a meeting with Stadler Rail Management and a visit to their state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in St. Margrethen. Stadler Rail’s expertise in producing double-decker multiple-unit trains resonated with India’s ambitions to modernize and expand its passenger rail fleet.

“The exchange of ideas during this visit aligned with India’s efforts to integrate world-class manufacturing practices and advanced engineering into its domestic rail production,” a senior official remarked.

As a global leader and a unifying voice of the Global South, India is seen to embody the ethos of unity and collective progress.

The India Pavilion at Davos has come in for praise for its design and theme. From advancing AI and frontier technologies to expanding its renewable energy capacities and fostering global partnerships, India’s progress resonates with WEF 2025’s theme: “Collaboration for the Intelligent Age.” Further, India is also looking forward to strengthening economic relations across the globe, the official added.

Aligned with the focus of WEF 2025, India is at the forefront of exploring solutions across the five key workstreams: reimagining growth; industries in the intelligent age; investing in people; safeguarding the planet; and rebuilding trust.

Six Indian states including Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Uttar Pradesh are also participating in the Davos meeting.

–IANS