- Mr. Anand Mahindra, Chairman, Mahindra Group
- Mr. Baba Kalyani, Chairman and Managing Director, Bharat Forge Limited
- Mr. Cyril Shroff, Managing Partner, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas
- Mr. Adil Zainulbhai, Chairman, Network18 Group
Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Special Message at Global Economic Cooperation (GEC) 2026
Dr. S. Jaishankar, Hon’ble Union Minister for External Affairs, today inaugurated the Global Economic Cooperation (GEC) 2026, a three-day, high-level, international forum convened by the Future Economic Cooperation Council (FECC). The forum is being organised in cooperation with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Government of India, and the Government of Maharashtra, with the support of Shri Devendra Fadnavis, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Maharashtra, and Chief Patron of FECC.
Bringing together senior ministerial and business delegations from major global economies including France, United Kingdom (UK), United Arab Emirates (UAE), United States (US), Australia, Seychelles, Sri Lanka and others, GEC 2026 commences at a pivotal moment for the global economy. Against the backdrop of shifting trade architectures and an increasingly multipolar world, the forum aims to shape practical frameworks for resilient, inclusive, and future-ready economic cooperation.
During his introductory remarks, Shri Vijay Chauthaiwale, Executive Director, FECC, and In-Charge Foreign Affairs, BJP, read a message from Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. Addressing the august gathering, the Prime Minister wrote, “As the world looks for steady leadership in uncertain times, India stands out as a beacon of hope, delivering practical, scalable solutions to shared global challenges, even as it sustains the rare balance of high growth and low inflation. The nation has also evolved into a confident and credible voice of the Global South, shaping global conversations and contributing to a more balanced and inclusive world order. One of the defining challenges of our era is taking welfare to the maximum number of people, leaving none behind and achieving this efficiently. India has transformed this ambition into reality through world-class Digital Public Infrastructure, ensuring that welfare benefits reach citizens with a single click, transparency, and accountability.”
Sharing his best wishes for successful and result-oriented deliberations at the inaugural conference of GEC, the Hon’ble Prime Minister added, “Through its diverse participation and forward-looking agenda, the GEC Conference can be a vital bridge between economies, connecting ideas, capital and innovation, thereby laying the foundation for a more cooperative and interconnected global economic future.”
In his inaugural address, Dr. S. Jaishankar, Hon’ble Minister of External Affairs, said, “The world has entered an uncertain era, where long-standing assumptions are being questioned and key dimensions are transforming simultaneously, be they strategic, political, economic or technological. In such a landscape, the argument for de-risking and diversifying across the entire spectrum from sourcing to production, and to markets, becomes more compelling by the day. It is in this context that GEC 2026 assumes relevance, providing a platform to deliberate on resilient supply chains, trusted partnerships, and balanced frameworks of global economic cooperation. India’s response has been to further build national capabilities, address growth challenges comprehensively, and engage international partners more intensively from a position of strength. As we move towards our goal of Viksit Bharat by 2047, we seek not only to contribute to global growth, but also to global stability, predictability, and trust.”
Commenting on the significance of the forum, Shri Devendra Fadnavis, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Maharashtra and Chief Patron of FECC, said, “We meet at a time when the global order is recalibrating. Global trade growth is undergoing a major upheaval. Supply chains are reorganising. Strategic sectors, semiconductors, energy, food, rare earth, AI are now embedded in national security doctrines. Capital flows are increasingly guided by geopolitical alignment, not just returns. In this era of economic statecraft India’s rise is not accidental – it is structural and GEC 2026 is a platform to architect the next framework of cooperation. From Mumbai, a city built on maritime trade, entrepreneurial spirit and global engagement, let us shape an economic order that is resilient, inclusive, and strategically stable.”
The forum is led by Shri Vijay Chauthaiwale, and Ms. Priyam Gandhi-Mody, Director, FECC. It is guided by an Advisory Council comprising leading industry figures of India, including:
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