Mint Primer | State vs state: What investment summits indicate

Between December and February, at least 10 states—big and small—have held summits to showcase their strengths and attract investors. Industrially weak Bihar has attracted investments worth ₹1.81 trillion while Kerala, seen till recently as investor- unfriendly, managed to secure investment commitments worth ₹1.53 trillion after its two-day investor jamboree in Kochi last week. Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal and Karnataka participated at the World Economic Forum held in Davos, Switzerland, on 20-24 January. Critics have also raised questions on whether these investor summits end up drawing investments that were not originally destined for a particular state. Investor summits help states to showcase their strengths and commitment to attracting investments.