A senior official with the industries department said, “Two meetings were conducted in a warm environment and consul generals of eminent countries were present. In Kolkata, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee addressed the gathering and all the stakeholders talked about the scope of investment in this state.”
Former Indian cricket team captain Sourav Ganguly, industrialist Harsh Neotia, Sanjay Budhia and others were present during the meeting.
According to a government release on the Delhi meeting, “The session witnessed participation from Ambassadors, High Commissioners, and Senior Diplomats representing over 42 countries, showcasing growing global interest in West Bengal as a vibrant investment destination.”
The Government of West Bengal will be organising the eighth edition of the flagship Summit Bengal Global Business Summit 2025 on February 5-6 in Kolkata.
Amit Mitra, while virtually addressing the session said West Bengal is transforming into a hub for manufacturing and logistics, creating jobs and enhancing exports. With forward-thinking policies and dynamic leadership, the state is shaping a robust, job-intensive economy.
Highlighting the state’s strengths, state finance minister Chandrima Bhattacharya, emphasized that West Bengal offers seamless connectivity for international trade, abundant natural resources, robust infrastructure, and a skilled workforce, making it a prime destination for investments across diverse sectors.
Vandana Yadav, Managing Director, West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation, and Principal Secretary, Department of Industry, Commerce & Enterprises delivered the opening remarks. P. Mohan Gandhi, IAS, Secretary, Department of Industry, Commerce & Enterprises, Government of West Bengal made a presentation showcasing the investment opportunities in West Bengal. Mr. Manab Majumdar, Senior Advisor, FICCI delivered the Vote of Thanks.
Diplomats from Europe, CIS, SAARC, Arab & Middle East, Africa, ASEAN, LAC, OCEANIA, North America, East Asia & Southeast Asia and several other regions also shared their perspective on the possible areas of mutual collaboration to strengthen bilateral ties. BGBS 2025 will bring together policymakers, corporate leaders, business delegations, entrepreneurs, academia, and think-tanks from around the globe to form strategic and business alliances.
This will be a unique opportunity to learn about the industrial ecosystem and business friendly initiatives of West Bengal. The Summit will have Plenary Sessions, Sectoral sessions on focus sectors, Country sessions with partner countries, B2Bs and B2Gs meetings and avenues of collaborations are spread across a multidimensional spectrum of sectors.
Over the years, BGBS has observed a growing international presence. BGBS 2023 was attended by over 400 International delegates from Europe, UK, CIS, SAARC, Middle East, Africa, ASEAN, LAC, Central & East Asia and several other regions. 17 countries including Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Fiji, France, Germany, Japan, Kenya, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Nepal, Netherlands, Poland, Rwanda, Slovak Republic, Republic of Korea and the United Kingdom joined BGBS 2023 as Partner Countries. 15 Ambassadors and High Commissioners joined the Summit.