Narendra Modi today inaugurated the Global Investors Summit (GIS) 2025 in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. Addressing the gathering, he apologised for the delay of his entry to the event as there were board exams for the 10th and 12th standard students and his security measures enroute to the event could have caused inconvenience to the students. Shri Modi said it was his immense pride to welcome the investors and business leaders in the land of Raja Bhoj. He added that today’s event was important as a Viksit MadhyaPradesh or developed Madhya Pradesh is necessary in the journey towards Viksit Bharat. He congratulated the Government of Madhya Pradesh for a wonderful organization of the summit.
“The whole world is optimistic about India”, exclaimed Shri Modi and said that it was for the first time such an opportunity had risen in the history of India. He added that be it common citizens or policy experts or institutions or countries of the world, everyone had a lot of expectations from India. He highlighted that the comments received in the last few weeks about India will raise the enthusiasm of investors. Recalling the recent statement by the World Bank that India will continue to remain the fastest growing economy, the Prime Minister highlighted that a representative from the OECD remarked, "The future of the world is in India." He added that recently, a UN organization on climate change declared India as a solar power superpower. This organization also mentioned that while many countries only talk, India delivers results. Shri Modi noted that a new report revealed how India is emerging as an excellent supply chain for global aerospace firms. These firms view India as a solution to global supply chain challenges. The Prime Minister quoted various examples showcasing the world's confidence in India, which is also boosting the confidence of every Indian state. This confidence is evident at the Global Summit in Madhya Pradesh, he said.
Noting that Madhya Pradesh is the fifth largest state in India by population, Shri Modi said, “MP is one of the top states in India for agriculture and minerals”. He emphasized that Madhya Pradesh is blessed with the life-giving Narmada River and stated that MP has the potential to become one of the top five states in India by GDP.
Pointing out the transformative journey of Madhya Pradesh over the past two decades, the Prime Minister remarked that there was a time when the state faced significant challenges with electricity and water, and the law and order situation was even worse. These conditions made industrial development difficult. Shri Modi noted that with the support of the people, their government in Madhya Pradesh has focused on governance over the past two decades. Two decades ago, people were hesitant to invest in MP, while today, MP has become one of the top states in the country for investments, he added. He highlighted that the state, which once struggled with poor roads, is now one of the leading states in India's EV revolution. He further said that by January 2025, around 2 lakh electric vehicles were registered in MP, reflecting a growth of approximately 90 percent, which demonstrates that MP is becoming an excellent destination for new manufacturing sectors.
“India has witnessed a boom in infrastructure over the past decade”, highlighted the Prime Minister and remarked that Madhya Pradesh has greatly benefited from this development. He emphasized that the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, which connects two major cities, passes significantly through MP, providing fast connectivity to Mumbai's ports and North India's markets. He also highlighted that Madhya Pradesh now has a road network of over five lakh kilometers. He noted that MP's industrial corridors are connected to modern expressways, ensuring rapid growth in the logistics sector.
Touching upon the air connectivity, Shri Modi highlighted that the terminals at Gwalior and Jabalpur airports have been expanded to improve air connectivity. He remarked that the modernization of Madhya Pradesh's extensive rail network is also underway. He noted that the rail network in MP has achieved 100 percent electrification. He mentioned that the images of Bhopal's Rani Kamalapati Railway Station continue to captivate everyone. Following this model, 80 railway stations in MP are being modernized under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme.
“The past decade has seen unprecedented growth in India's energy sector”, hailed Shri Modi and remarked that India has achieved remarkable progress in green energy, which was once unimaginable. Over the past 10 years, more than $70 billion (over ₹5 trillion) has been invested in the renewable energy sector, and this investment has created over 10 lakh jobs in the clean energy space last year alone, he added. The Prime Minister noted that Madhya Pradesh has greatly benefited from this boom in the energy sector. He said that today, MP is power surplus with a power generation capacity of around 31,000 MW, of which 30 percent is clean energy. He highlighted that Rewa Solar Park is one of the largest in the country, and recently, a floating solar plant was inaugurated in Omkareshwar. Shri Modi mentioned that the Government has invested around ₹50,000 crore in the Bina Refinery Petrochemical Complex, which will help make Madhya Pradesh a hub for petrochemicals. He emphasized that the MP government supports this infrastructure with modern policies and special industrial infrastructure. Noting that MP has over 300 industrial zones, and investment zones spanning thousands of acres are being developed in Pithampur, Ratlam, and Dewas, he highlighted the immense potential for better returns for investors in Madhya Pradesh.
Emphasising the critical importance of water security for industrial development, the Prime Minister remarked that, on one hand, efforts are being made towards water conservation, and on the other, a mega mission for river interlinking is being advanced. He highlighted that the agriculture and industry sectors in Madhya Pradesh will greatly benefit from these initiatives. Shri Modi mentioned that the ₹45,000 crore Ken-Betwa River Interlinking Project has recently commenced, which will enhance the productivity of approximately 10 lakh hectares of agricultural land and strengthen water management in MP. He stated that these facilities will unlock significant potential in the food processing, agro-industry, and textile sectors.