New Delhi: Jharkhand will make its debut at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos from January 19 to 23, with Chief Minister Hemant Soren leading the state delegation, marking what the government has described as a milestone moment coinciding with 25 years of the state’s formation.
State officials said that for the first time Jharkhand’s traditional greeting “Johar” will resonate at the World Economic Forum in Davos, reflecting an effort to project the state’s indigenous identity alongside an investment-focused global outreach. Jharkhand’s participation, officials added, has been framed around the theme “Growth in Harmony with Nature”.
According to official sources, the state will use the WEF platform to position Jharkhand as a destination for responsible investment across sectors including critical minerals, mining and downstream processing, electronics and electronics components manufacturing, electric mobility, renewable energy, textiles, tourism and forest-based products, in line with its Vision 2050.
A senior official who will be traveling to Davis said a central engagement at Davos will be a Chief Minister–chaired roundtable on January 21 at the India Pavilion titled “Jharkhand’s Critical Minerals Opportunity: From Geology to Value Creation”. The session is expected to bring together global industry leaders, policymakers and institutional partners to deliberate on secure and ethical supply chains, sustainable mining standards, processing and refining capabilities, and circular economy approaches.
Jharkhand is among ten Indian states selected to participate at WEF 2026, alongside Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Kerala. India’s overall presence at the forum will also include Union Ministers and more than 100 industry leaders, aimed at presenting what officials described as a coordinated national and sub-national engagement.
State officials said Jharkhand’s interventions at Davos will foreground the perspectives of resource-rich regions that bear the social and environmental costs of growth. The delegation plans bilateral meetings and thematic discussions on electric mobility, energy security, climate action, forest and bio-economy, women’s empowerment, healthcare, food processing and emerging financing mechanisms.
The WEF Annual Meeting 2026 is expected to draw around 3,000 participants from nearly 130 countries under the themes “A Spirit of Dialogue” and “Unlocking New Sources of Growth”. The meeting may also be attended by U.S. President Donald Trump.
The Jharkhand government said the state’s first appearance at Davos signals a shift from being a subject of global development debates to becoming an active contributor, seeking partnerships that balance economic growth with social equity and environmental sustainability.
