Davos 2025: Why Global CEOs Are Keen On Doing Business In India

Global leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos 2025 spoke about India’s strides in ease of doing business, emphasising its role as a key destination for investment and innovation. Senior executives from Siemens, Dassault Systèmes, and ABB highlighted how India's policies, skilled workforce, and technological advancements are creating opportunities for businesses to thrive.

Peter Koerte, Managing Director of Siemens, stressed the importance of user-friendly technology to empower India's vast network of small and medium enterprises. 

"For India, it’s an enormous opportunity given the 60 million SMEs in the economy. We need to bring in simple, plug-and-play technology to give Indian factories the edge they need," he said.

Koerte described India as a "key growth market," with Siemens employing over 24,000 people and operating two major innovation hubs in the country. "Every product we ship is software-enabled and most likely touched by Indian engineers," he added.

Siemens is heavily invested in India’s modernisation, recently winning a major contract with Indian Railways for AI-powered locomotives and collaborating with hotel chains to improve energy efficiency. 

Koerte noted that India’s journey toward becoming the third-largest economy by 2030 requires a leap in productivity and technology, areas where Siemens plays a crucial role.

Florence Verzelen, Executive Vice President at Dassault Systèmes, noted the role of India’s education and skill development policies in attracting global investment. "What India has done on skills is the most impactful policy. Our people in Pune are among the smartest and most innovative," she said.

Dassault has invested heavily in India’s R&D capabilities, with its Pune lab developing EV manufacturing software for global markets. 

Verzelen also praised India’s leadership in renewable energy and sustainability, revealing plans to open another centre next year. She also highlighted India’s focus on using AI and digital twins to streamline manufacturing processes.

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Morton Wierod, CEO of ABB, lauded India’s ease of doing business as a driver for its rise in the global economy. "India is pushing up the ladder and is soon to be the third-largest economy in the world," he said, noting the alignment of ABB’s focus on electrification and industrial decentralisation with India’s growth drivers.