By Mewati Sitaram
Maharashtra is positioning itself as a key driver of India’s economic expansion and a future trillion-dollar economy, senior state officials told diplomats and World Trade Centre representatives at a high-level roundtable held on December 3, 2025, during the 10th Global Economic Summit and the WTCA Asia Pacific Conference at the World Trade Centre in Mumbai.
Kaustubh Dhavase, Chief Advisor to the Maharashtra Chief Minister, told ambassadors and consul generals from more than 30 countries that Maharashtra continues to lead the country in development, economic planning and investment attraction. “Barring the Covid years, Maharashtra’s CAGR has remained in double digits over the past 12 years, cementing its position as the engine of India’s economic growth,” he said.
Dhavase outlined the government’s focus on building both physical and social infrastructure, describing it as a “new ecosystem of development” with infrastructure at its centre. Highlighting ongoing mega projects, he pointed to the coastal road network being built through land reclamation to supplement Mumbai’s suburban railway system, which carries nearly nine million passengers daily.
He further spoke about the state’s long-term strategy to become a trillion-dollar economy, noting that policymakers are advancing reforms to boost productivity and attract high-value investments. He cited developments in Navi Mumbai — including Edu City for foreign universities, an Innovation and IT City for services, the upcoming international airport and the Wadhawan port — as examples of forward-looking planning.
The roundtable saw participation from diplomats representing Bangladesh, South Africa, Egypt, Thailand, Ghana, Ukraine, Argentina, Malaysia, Japan, Mali, the UK, Vietnam, Yemen, Kuwait, Belarus, Ecuador, Czech Republic, Sri Lanka, Guyana, Tanzania and Uganda, underscoring the strong international interest in Maharashtra’s investment landscape.
The WTCA Asia Pacific Conference, held alongside the summit, brought together representatives from more than 50 World Trade Centres across the region for discussions on strengthening connectivity-driven innovation, enhancing regional trade and catalysing investment.
Crystal Edn, Executive Director, Member Services at the World Trade Centres Association, said the WTC movement has played a key role in helping countries forge trade partnerships and promote dialogue. WTCA Vice President Scott Wang added that WTC events are not designed to generate profits but to uplift communities through trade promotion initiatives.
Vijay Kalantri, Chairman of World Trade Centre Mumbai and Board Director at WTCA New York, said India is proud to host the conference at a time when the Asia-Pacific region is projected to contribute over 60% of global growth by 2030. “WTC Mumbai, the first WTC from India, has played a pivotal role in strengthening the movement in this region,” he noted.
The conference also marked the premier accreditation of WTC Kochi and the accreditation of WTC Goa, WTC Jaipur and WTC Bhubaneswar. New members inducted into the network included WTC Coimbatore, WTC Future City, WTC Hinjawadi, WTC Kozhikode, WTC Nashik, WTC Thane and WTC Nhava Sheva.
Panel discussions highlighted how modern World Trade Centres are transforming into integrated trade ecosystems featuring sustainable infrastructure, innovation hubs, flexible workspaces and logistics-linked facilities. Speakers also emphasised the growing importance of digital connectivity, cross-border business networks and B2B matchmaking in enabling SMEs to access global markets, adopt emerging technologies and expand internationally.
Editor in Chief : Mewati SItaram
