GIFT City attracts global investors at World Economic Forum 2026
Davos, January 23
During its first participation at the forum, the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City delegation engaged with international investors to position India's first International Financial Services Centre as a scalable destination for banking, capital markets, and fintech. Global firms expressed interest in deepening engagement regarding India-linked financial services and cross-border operations.
GIFT City's MD and Group CEO, Sanjay Kaul, noted the shift in how international businesses view the Indian market. "India is at a defining stage in its economic journey, with global institutions increasingly viewing the country not just as a market, but as a base for sophisticated financial and technology operations. The discussions at Davos reflect growing confidence in GIFT City's regulatory framework and operating environment, and its ability to offer global firms a competitive, internationally aligned platform within India's jurisdiction to participate in the country's long-term growth," Kaul said.
The delegation conducted structured meetings with senior leaders from major financial firms, including Euroclear, Marsh McLennan, Invesco, Visa, and Nasdaq. These talks focused on the evolution of India's capital markets and the operational benefits provided by the IFSC ecosystem, such as the unified regulatory environment and ease of capital movement. The interest from these institutions underscored the growing recognition of the IFSC as a credible platform for international business expansion.
Digital infrastructure and technology were also central to the discussions. Meetings with companies such as Qualcomm, Cognizant, Wipro, and HCL Software highlighted GIFT City's role as a hub for Global Capability Centres (GCCs) and cybersecurity.
Conversations with stakeholders like the IMD Business School and Egon Zehnder further established the city as an institutional destination. The delegation also participated in roundtables and sessions hosted by the Swiss Embassy and the Confederation of Indian Industry to discuss the future of global capital flows.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Great to see the delegation engaging with giants like Nasdaq and Visa. The focus on fintech and cybersecurity is crucial. However, I hope this development also creates high-quality jobs for our local graduates and doesn't just become an enclave for expats.
The unified regulatory environment is the key. If they can truly simplify the red tape that plagues Indian business, it will be a game-changer. Let's hope the efficiency of GIFT City inspires reforms in the rest of the country's financial sector.
Working in finance in Mumbai, I've been watching GIFT City closely. The interest from Euroclear is a massive vote of confidence for the debt markets platform. This could really position India as a regional fundraising hub.
Promising, but execution is everything. We have a history of grand projects that don't live up to the hype. The proof will be when these global firms actually set up large-scale operations and not just exploratory desks. Fingers crossed!
It's good for Gujarat and for India's image. But I hope the benefits are distributed. We need to ensure development like this happens in other states too, not just one or two. Balanced growth is important for a country as large as ours.
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