WEF Davos: Invest in future city Bengaluru, Deputy CM D K Shivakumar tells global investors

Shivakumar noted that the city is home to nearly 500 Fortune companies and has a deep talent pool across sectors such as aerospace, information technology and medical sciences.

Davos: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Wednesday invited global industry leaders and entrepreneurs to invest in Bengaluru, describing it as a "city of the future" with a strong ecosystem, skilled human resources and investor-friendly governance.

Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Shivakumar said Bengaluru offers an ideal environment where several global companies have already grown and flourished. "Bengaluru has excellent weather, culture, and world-class human resources. I invite all of you to come to Bengaluru," he said.

He noted that the city is home to nearly 500 Fortune companies and has a deep talent pool across sectors such as aerospace, information technology and medical sciences.

Highlighting Karnataka's healthcare education base, he said the state has 70 medical colleges producing nearly 1.5 lakh healthcare professionals annually.

"Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success. Let us all move forward together," he said.

Describing India as a talent-rich country preparing for the next 25 years of growth, Shivakumar said, "I come from Bengaluru, and today the world views India through Bengaluru." Calling Bengaluru the IT capital of Asia, he said India's urban population has reached around 40 per cent and is expected to rise to 50 per cent over the next 25 years. "We are making the necessary preparations for this growth," he said.

Drawing comparisons with global technology hubs, Shivakumar said California has about 1.3 million engineering professionals, while Bengaluru has nearly 2.5 million engineers. "This is Bengaluru's strength. Global leaders and investors are increasingly drawn to the city, which is why we are prioritising traffic management and infrastructure development," he said.

He added that Bengaluru's Metro network will expand to 153 km by next year and noted that the city has a strong public transport system with 6,000 buses, including 2,500 electric buses. "Karnataka has efficient governance, and we will extend full cooperation to investors," he assured.

The Deputy Chief Minister also said the state is strengthening transport connectivity in second- and third-tier cities. "With a target of 2045, we are enhancing transport infrastructure across the entire state," he added.