On the sidelines of the World Economic Forum 2026 in Davos, the Global India Business Corridor (GIBC) signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Maharashtra to attract global investments and develop a sustainable startup ecosystem.

Vikram Bharwani, Non-Executive Editor of GIBC, stated that the initiative is mandated by the Chief Minister’s Office to position Maharashtra as a credible and resilient destination for global capital and innovation.

To strengthen the state’s global educational footprint, the GIBC is collaborating with world-renowned institutions, including Stanford and the London School of Economics, to facilitate knowledge exchange and technology partnerships.

Maharashtra's presence at Davos has already been highly productive, with 54 MoUs worth INR 15.70 lakh crore signed across various sectors such as renewable energy, electric vehicles, and defense.

Major corporations, including Amazon, Reliance Industries, and the JSW Group, have committed to projects expected to generate thousands of jobs.

Complementing these industrial gains, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced on Thursday a pioneering shift toward civil nuclear energy.

The state has signed agreements with both an Indian government entity and a Russian firm—identified in state records as ROSATOM—to develop thorium-based Small Modular Reactors (SMRs).

These compact reactors are designed to meet the rising electricity demands of modern infrastructure, including data centers and circular economy initiatives.

Chief Minister Fadnavis highlighted that Maharashtra is taking a leading role in this technology, aiming to establish an indigenous assembly line under the "Make in Maharashtra" program.

This shift toward SMRs is intended to provide a reliable, low-carbon power source for industrial clusters and municipal corporations, further aligning the state’s energy policy with its broader vision for sustainable and technologically advanced growth.

Source: ANI