Kolkata is all set to host the two-day Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS) 2025 on February 5 and 6 as the West Bengal government goes all out to attract investment to the state.
Sources said this is also being seen as a chance to show the business-friendly and employment-generating face of the state government ahead of Assembly elections in 2026.
A tentative list of prominent guests at the summit includes Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, and business leaders like Mukesh Ambani (Reliance Industries), Sajjan Jindal (Jindal Group), Sanjeev Puri (ITC), and Jyostsna Suri (Lalit Suri Hospitality Group), among others. Delegates from more than 40 countries are also expected to attend the summit, which will be held at the Biswa Bangla Convention Centre in Kolkata.
On Tuesday, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee went to the BGBS venue to participate in a high tea event with delegates and foreign representatives. “Representatives from 22 countries have already reached. Representatives from a total of 49 countries will come. More than 200 foreign delegates will participate in the summit,” she told journalists at the venue.
Confirming some of the attendees, she said, “Mukesh Ambani, Sajjan Jindal and other captains of industry will participate. The Prime Minister of Bhutan had confirmed his participation to me last October. I don’t know what happened with central government, so ultimately, whether he will come or not is not confirmed. As of now, I believe he will come…”
About the arrangements in place in Kolkata, a senior official said, “Already, all roads and flyovers leading to the summit venue have been renovated and given a new coat of paint. Flex boards, banners and cut-outs have been installed along the roads.”
State government officials said that no specific sector is being highlighted as a theme for this year’s summit and that all important issues pertaining to industry and trade will be discussed. Some crucial policies may also be announced at the summit, a senior official of the West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation (WBIDC) said.
At a Cabinet meeting on Monday, CM Banerjee instructed bureaucrats of all departments to look into last-minute preparations for BGBS.
At the summit, the Chief Minister is likely to lay the foundation stone for two major infrastructure projects involving an estimated investment of around Rs 1,900 crore. These are two bridges – the Gangasagar Setu over the Muriganga river and Shilpa Setu over the Damodar river. While the former is expected to benefit the people of South 24 Parganas and pilgrims who visit the Gangasagar Mela at Sagar Island every year, the latter will benefit residents of Burdwan, Hooghly, Bankura, Purulia, and West and East Midnapore.
Underlining the capacities of the state, the BGBS website says: “The state is home to largest leather complex, largest hosiery park and largest foundry park… The state also offers ready-to-invest industrial infrastructure with 200+ industrial parks/estates. It has become a cement hub of the country, with a booming housing and real estate sector. There is significant manufacturing of steel and steel products in West Bengal, (which is) contributing to exports as well. The Bengal Silicon Valley Hub has already attracted 41 IT and ITES companies on 200 acres of land, including 11 data centres. The Fintech Hub has attracted all major banks and financial institutions on 69 acres of land.”
According to the website, the areas of focus at the summit will be:
*Manufacturing and industries, including MSME, advanced manufacturing, circular economy, natural resources and defence manufacturing
*Agriculture and allied businesses
*International trade and logistics
*Tourism
*Knowledge economy, including IT and IT-enabled services
*Health, health education and health infrastructure
*Education
*Creative economy and the film industry
*Infrastructure, including power and sustainability