18 January,2026 10:43 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
CM Fadnavis arrived in Zurich on Sunday as part of his five-day visit to Switzerland to attend the WEF. Pic/X
Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday said that a new development roadmap was being implemented in Mumbai as he reaches Zurich in Switzerland to attend the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, reported the PTI.
CM Fadnavis arrived in Zurich on Sunday as part of his five-day visit to Switzerland to attend the WEF.
Several members of the Indian diaspora interacted with Fadnavis and praised the civic poll results, reflecting the political mood in Maharashtra even at an international venue.
At a programme organised by the Brihan Maharashtra Mandal, Switzerland, banners reading "Welcome Devabhau" were displayed.
Addressing the gathering, CM Fadnavis said that the Maharashtra government has established a Maha-NRI Forum to strengthen engagement with the global Marathi community and to promote Indian culture, language and identity abroad, according to the PTI.
He said that the cultural strength forms the foundation of development and leads to economic and material progress.
Speaking about Mumbai's future, CM Fadnavis said a new development roadmap is being implemented and that the city will be more advanced than the capitals of developed nations within the next five years, the news agency reported.
He was given a traditional Marathi welcome by members of the Marathi community in Switzerland, who greeted him in ethnic attire while the Maharashtra state song was played. The chief minister thanked them for the warm reception, according to a statement from the Chief Minister's Office.
Fadnavis was formally received by India's Ambassador to Switzerland, Mridul Kumar. Union Ministers Pralhad Joshi and Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu also met the chief minister and congratulated him on the ruling alliance's strong performance in the recent Maharashtra municipal elections.
The chief minister also praised the International Marathi Forum for introducing Marathi language classes in Swiss schools, calling it an important step towards preserving linguistic heritage among the diaspora.
The World Economic Forum provides a global platform for dialogue, cooperation and investment promotion. During the WEF meeting in Davos in 2025, Fadnavis had announced investment commitments worth Rs 15.7 lakh crore through 54 memorandums of understanding with domestic and foreign investors.
(with PTI inputs)
