Kolkata, Aug. 4 -- The West Bengal government is expected to send a high-level delegation to the Confluence 2027 Summit in California next year to showcase the state as an investment destination and attract fresh investments, with a special focus on the artificial intelligence (AI) sector.
The Confluence 2027 technology summit will be held in San Jose, California, from April 9 to 11 and is expected to bring together nearly 400 global investors. Speaking at the launch of the initiative in Kolkata on Monday, Chief Minister's Adviser Subrata Gupta said the programme would leverage the global network of people of Bengali origin occupying leadership positions across the United States, the Middle East and South Asia to encourage investment in West Bengal.
Gupta said the state delegation would highlight West Bengal's investment potential at the summit, adding that AI is expected to be a major driver of future industrial growth. He noted that AI is becoming an integral part of sectors such as healthcare, aviation, financial services and manufacturing and is likely to usher in a new wave of business investments in the state.
A senior official associated with the proposed summit recently met State Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta and Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Minister Agnimitra Paul to discuss the initiative. The official said Bengal has a five-to-six-year window to establish itself as a global AI hub. Pointing to the strong Bengali diaspora in Silicon Valley, the official said many professionals were exploring new opportunities amid AI-led disruptions in the technology sector, and some could be interested in returning to Bengal.
Meanwhile, the BJP government is expected to unveil its new industrial policy this month. Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta recently said the policy would mark a decisive shift from the previous Trinamool Congress government's approach to industrialisation, with a sharper investment strategy and a departure from its hands-off land acquisition policy for industries. Mpost
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.