World Economic Forum 2018: India means business, PM Modi tells global CEOs; holds talks with Swiss President

PM Modi Modi on Monday told top CEOs at the opening ceremony of the World Economic Forum Summit 2018 that India means business and presents opportunity for the global business.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today told top CEOs at the opening ceremony of the World Economic Forum Summit 2018 that India means business and presents opportunity for the global business. 

Addressing a roundtable before a dinner meet, PM Modi narrated India's growth story. He was accompanied by top government officials including Vijay Gokhale, Jai Shankar and Ramesh Abhishek.

Under the tagline of "India means business", the roundtable was attended by 40 CEOs of global companies and 20 from India. 

After the meeting, MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted about Modi narrating India's growth story and presenting exciting opportunities for global business in India at Davos. 

The spokesperson also tweeted that the prime minister "hosted a roundtable meeting with CEOs of top global companies". 

Modi, who arrived in Davos on Monday evening, will deliver opening keynote address on Tuesday morning at the world economic forum annual meeting. 

Besides, he will also interact with the members of international business community of the WEF. 

Modi is the first Indian prime minister to attend Davos summit in 20 years.

In the largest ever Indian presence in the 48-year history of WEF summit in Davos, more than 130 Indian CEOs are present along with over 2,000 business leaders and 70 heads of states and governments. Besides, several other leaders from politics, business, academia, art, culture and civil society are also present for the event which opens on Monday and will close on Friday

Earlier in the day, PM Modi held a bilateral meeting with Swiss President Alain Berset.

Berset greeted Modi with a warm handshake in this town in the Swiss Alps before leading the Indian leader to the meeting.

Modi discussed with the Swiss President ways to deepen bilateral ties. The two leaders “reviewed the scope of our bilateral cooperation”, Modi said in a tweet.

Berset said the discussions marked the meeting of the biggest and the oldest democracies in the world. Thanking Modi, he said his country will continue to strengthen “our relations” with India.

“First engagement in snowing #Davos, PM @narendramodi met with Swiss President @alain_berset. Two leaders had productive discussions on steps to further deepen our bilateral cooperation built upon our shared values of democracy and diversity. #IndiaMeansBusiness,” an external affairs ministry spokesperson tweeted.

This is Modi's second visit to Switzerland in nearly two years after his visit in June 2016. He reached Davos for World Economic Forum 2018 on Monday.