Davos summit boosts Karnataka investment pipeline with Rs 13,070 cr in commitments
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Bengaluru (PTI): The World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos has emerged as a catalyst for Karnataka's economic growth, with the state securing investment commitments worth Rs 13,070 crore across sectors including renewable energy, aerospace, data centres, food processing and advanced manufacturing, Industries Minister M B Patil said.
Addressing the media after returning from the summit, Patil said more than 45 meetings and consultations held over five days helped position Karnataka as a preferred global destination for artificial intelligence, Global Capability Centres (GCCs), research and sustainable urban development.
The discussions at Davos have not only laid the foundation for fresh investment inflows but have also accelerated projects already under implementation, the minister said, adding that global companies had praised Karnataka's industry-friendly policies and availability of skilled manpower.
A significant portion of the commitments came from the RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group, which plans to invest Rs 10,500 crore over the next three years in Vijayapura and Ballari districts, providing a major boost to renewable energy development in north Karnataka.
Global brewer Carlsberg Group reiterated its plan to set up a Rs 350 crore bottling plant at Nanjangudu, while Schneider Electric proposed investments of Rs 1,520 crore, including in IT operations. INOX GFL, which has already invested Rs 10,000 crore in the state and commenced turbine blade manufacturing at Kushtagi, will invest an additional Rs 400 crore to manufacture wind power towers and solar panels.
Belrise Industries plans to invest Rs 300 crore to expand its Mysuru facility, which supplies components to TVS Motor Co.
Patil said discussions were held with the Singapore Economic Development Board on setting up a 'Singapore Park' in Karnataka to attract Singapore-based companies. The state is also seeking to attract a significant share of Coca-Cola's proposed Rs 25,760 crore investment in India.
Several global companies expressed interest in expanding operations in Karnataka. Nokia, US-based Vast Space, UAE-based Crescent Enterprises and Voyager Technologies indicated interest in investing in the state, while Bharti Enterprises said it was keen on setting up a new data centre, adding to its existing investments of around Rs 13,000 crore.
France-based Mistral AI expressed interest in establishing a phased research and development centre in Bengaluru, while US-based Philip Morris indicated its intent to manufacture smoke-free products in Karnataka.
Bharat Forge Ltd sought details on investment opportunities, the minister said.
Nokia has shown interest in establishing a Global Capability Centre and research facilities in the state. In line with the government's focus on developing self-sustaining urban centres beyond Bengaluru, Tech Mahindra expressed interest in expanding operations into Tier-2 cities. Sify Technologies said it would soon launch a data centre in Karnataka.
The state's flagship 'KWIN City' project, planned between Dabaspet and Doddaballapur, also drew strong interest. Imperial College London has proposed setting up a research and development centre in the city, while global cybersecurity firm Cloudflare is considering becoming part of the project.
US-based Voyager Technologies and space company Vast Space have expressed interest in partnership agreements with the state government, while UAE-based Crescent Enterprises is exploring investments across multiple sectors in Karnataka. An MoU was signed at Davos to facilitate Swiss companies seeking to leverage the state's innovation-driven ecosystem.
Patil said the engagements at Davos would help Karnataka strengthen its competitive position amid global industrial transformation and deepen bilateral trade ties with key economies.
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Gill, Mandhana win top BCCI awards
New Delhi (PTI): Prolific batters Shubman Gill and Smriti Mandhana were named the Best International Cricketers (Men's and Women's) at the BCCI Naman Awards 2026 here on Sunday, recognising their outstanding performances in the 2024–2025 season.
Gill won the prestigious Polly Umrigar Award, while Mandhana received the award for the fifth time.
For Gill, it was his second Cricketer of the Year award after first winning it in 2023.
Former stars Roger Binny, Rahul Dravid and Mithali Raj were honoured with the Col. C. K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award, the BCCI's highest honour, recognising their outstanding service to Indian cricket.
India's five trophy-winning sides (2025 ICC Champions Trophy, 2025 Women's ODI World Cup, 2025 U-19 Women's World Cup, 2026 Men's U-19 World Cup, and 2026 T20 World Cup) were honoured as well on the occasion.
Gill enjoyed a stellar 2025 and established himself as one of the team's most dependable batters in the longer formats.
On the tour of England, skipper Gill led from the front in the five-Test series, finishing as the top run-getter with 754 runs in 10 innings at an average of 75.40, including four centuries and a top score of 269.
Gill also played a pivotal role in India's Champions Trophy triumph last year, having entered the tournament as the No.1-ranked ODI batter in the world. He made an unbeaten 101 against Bangladesh in India's opening match, and finished the tournament with 188 runs.
Mandhana finished 2025 with 1,703 international runs, including 1,362 in ODIs, the most by any woman in a calendar year. In doing so, Mandhana became the first batter in women's ODI history to score 1,000 runs in a single calendar year.
Mandhana also made handsome contributions to India's maiden Women's World Cup title triumph, aggregating 434 runs in nine matches to end as the tournament as India's leading run-scorer and the second-highest overall.
Before the World Cup, the left-hander Mandhana smashed a 50-ball century against Australia in New Delhi to register the fastest ODI hundred by an Indian batter, surpassing Virat Kohli's 52-ball effort.
Shafali Varma (Best Woman Cricketer Senior Domestic One-Day), Ira Jadhav (Best Woman Cricketer (Domestic), Harsh Dubey (Best All Rounder in the Ranji Trophy), and Ayush Mhatre (Best All Rounder in Domestic Limited Overs Competitions) too won awards for their strong performances across the 2024-25 domestic season.
