'World Food India 2025' boosts India's position in global agri-food value chains

New Delhi, Sep 29 (IANS) The ‘World Food India 2025’ has reaffirmed India’s emergence as a global hub for food processing, innovation, and sustainable practices, the government said on Monday.

With record-breaking investments, strengthened international partnerships, and a strong alignment with the vision of making India a world leader in agri-food value chains, the four-day event has laid a solid foundation for future growth and global collaboration in the sector, according to Ministry of Food Processing Industries.

Over the course of the summit, it facilitated the signing of Memorandums of Understanding worth more than Rs 1,02,000 crore, representing one of the largest-ever investment commitments in the Indian food processing sector.

The Ministry of Food Processing Industries also enabled collaborations with leading academic and research institutions including NIFTEM-T and NIFTEM-K, supporting technology transfer and partnerships in food fortification, nutraceuticals, and start-up incubation.

Inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the event brought together global leaders, policymakers, industry captains, and innovators to deliberate on the future of food and agriculture.

In his inaugural address, the Prime Minister emphasised India’s role as a reliable global supplier, highlighting its agricultural diversity, rising middle-class demand, and government initiatives such as 100 per cent FDI, the Production Linked Incentive Scheme, and Mega Food Parks.

On this occasion, the Prime Minister also released credit-linked subsidies to 26,000 beneficiaries for micro projects worth Rs 2,518 crore under the PMFME scheme, reflecting the government’s commitment to empowering grassroots entrepreneurs.

The CEO Roundtable, co-chaired by Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari and Chirag Paswan, drew participation from more than 100 CEOs representing leading Indian and multinational companies. Discussions focused on sustainable investments, biodegradable packaging, waste valorisation, the potential of the blue economy, and reforms in logistics and transport to reduce costs and enhance competitiveness.

A series of government-to-government meetings reinforced India’s international partnerships, with delegations from Russia, Sri Lanka, Morocco, Maldives, Portugal, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Eswatini and Kuwait, engaging with Indian counterparts to explore avenues for deeper cooperation in agriculture and food processing. These dialogues further cemented India’s role as a trusted partner in global agri-food value chains.

—IANS

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