'India a sleeping giant, can become world's top economy if it wakes up': Andhra CM Naidu at WEF

The chief ministers were speaking after the inauguration of the India Pavilion here for the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting

Davos: Senior Union ministers, along with chief ministers and senior leaders from as many as 10 states, came together here on Monday, irrespective of their political affiliations, to laud India's economic growth and investment prospects.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu stated that India is already the world's fourth-largest economy and will become the third-largest in another 2-3 years, and then the number two by 2048.

"We are fighting with giants, but India is a sleeping giant, and if we wake up, we will be the number 1 by 2047," he said.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said his state is immensely benefiting from the Narendra Modi government's Act East and other policies, and has become the fastest-growing state economy of the country.

He said Assam's time has arrived, and all investors must come and be a partner in the state's growth story.

"I'm here for the first time, and I feel we should have come much earlier," he said, and also wished all other states in their endeavour to attract investments.

Greeting everyone with 'Johar', a traditional welcome greeting in his state, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren also congratulated all states and wished them success, and said all must work together to make India a developed nation by 2047.

They were speaking after the inauguration of the India Pavilion here for the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting. Besides the union government, it also houses as many as ten states.

This is the largest and most diversified political representation of India at Davos.

Union minister Pralhad Joshi said that when the world slowed down, India accelerated, and this growth path is continuing unabated.

He also lauded various states for their presence in Davos and said that when a state grows, the country grows.

As PM Modi says 'Reform, Perform, Transform and Inform', we must inform the world about India's growth story, he said.

Union Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said India became the third-largest domestic civil aviation market because of a concerted effort of our government to democratise this market.

Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Shanghavi said he has also come here for the first time and was impressed by the efforts being put in by various states here.

Chandrababu Naidu said India is the safest investment destination in the world, and there is no other country like this.

Uttar Pradesh's minister Suresh Khanna said his state has embarked on an impressive growth path across various segments of the economy.

Kerala's minister P Rajeev said when he came last year to Davos, his focus was not on MoUs but only showcase his state, still he returned home with several EoIs or expressions of investment, and many of them have now got converted into actual deals.

He said the state is now focusing on 24 priority sectors with progressive policies that would help bring more investments and growth to Kerala.

Telangana minister D Shridhar Babu said his government is working for making the state a $3-trillion economy.

He said his state is in Davos to showcase its niche policies that would be key drivers, and he is confident of attracting a lot of investments again this year.

Karnataka minister M B Patil said he is delighted to see the scale of Indian presence in Davos, and this is a clear message to the world that India is not just participating in the global growth, but it is driving it.