New Delhi [India], January 19 : Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh on Monday said that the World Economic Forum (WEF) at Davos has evolved significantly since the 1990s, when Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu became "one of India's earliest global brand ambassadors" and added that Davos is no longer just about signing MoUs, but has become a platform to understand the future direction of business, technology, and policies.
In a post on X, Lokesh wrote, "#Davos has come a long way since the 1990s, when Mr. Naidu emerged as one of India's earliest global brand ambassadors. Today, Davos is not just about signing MoUs - it's about understanding where business, technology, and policy are headed. It's where relationships are built, assumptions tested, and the right questions asked."
https://x.com/naralokesh/status/2013093699111264506
Expanding on his views in an editorial for Business Line, Lokesh wrote, "Labelled the original "Davos man", he used the platform to talk about a confident, reforming India ready to partner with the world."
He added that "the purpose of Davos has broadened. It is no longer just a marketplace for capital seeking opportunity. Governments and policymakers now come as much to listen as to pitch. Artificial intelligence is redefining productivity and employment...Davos has become a classroom of sorts - a place to learn how these trends intersect and what they mean for policy, industry, and society."
Explaining the true purpose of Davos, Lokesh in Business Line editorial further wrote, "The true purpose of Davos is ideation. It is where governments wear the student's hat - asking hard questions, testing assumptions, and trying to understand how the next generation of business, industry, and technology will converge."
Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha MP Sana Sathish Babu, in a post shared on X, said, "It was an honour to give a warm send-off to @ncbn garu in Delhi before his departure to Davos for the World Economic Forum."
Calling Naidu the original "Davos Man", he said the Chief Minister's initiatives at Davos 2025 laid the groundwork for major AI hubs in India.
"Known as the original "Davos Man," his visionary initiatives at Davos 2025 laid the groundwork for India's major AI hubs. Now, at Davos 2026, he is set to plant the seeds for the next wave of transformation another AI hub, clean energy advancements, and cutting-edge manufacturing in Andhra Pradesh," the post further read.
https://x.com/sanasathishbabu/status/2013102114340524142
Meanwhile, ahead of the World Economic Forum (WEF) 2026 beginning Monday, Davos had been intensifying its preparations for what has come to be known as the world's most-talked-about gathering.
The World Economic Forum (WEF) will convene its 56th Annual Meeting in Davos from January 19 to January 23, 2026, bringing together nearly 3,000 leaders from more than 130 countries at a moment of heightened geopolitical tension, economic uncertainty and rapid technological transformation.
Held under the theme "A Spirit of Dialogue", Davos 2026 seeks to provide an impartial platform for global leaders from government, business and civil society to reconnect, rebuild trust and explore collaborative solutions to challenges that increasingly transcend borders.