Davos 2026: From intent to investment, Smriti Irani explains what countries take back from WEF

Global forums such as the World Economic Forum are often questioned for what they tangibly deliver, but for Smriti Irani, Davos remains a place where investment intent, administrative credibility, and leadership capacity converge.

Speaking in an exclusive conversation with Business Today Group Editor Siddharth Zarabi on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum 2026, Irani described Davos as a platform where intent, leadership, and delivery are tested through investment conversations. "I have been at the forum not only as a YGL, but I have also been at the forum as a cabinet minister now in my personal capacity," Irani said when asked about the actual outcomes from attending the WEF.

"And from three lenses and three perspectives, I can say this is a convergence of investment opportunities where you can clearly identify intent, where you can clearly exhibit leadership capacities in your country, and where you can clearly be measured on how administratively you have delivered on promises."

Irani, founder and chairperson of the Alliance for Global Good: Gender Equity and Equality, said India's credibility at the forum has been built over the past decade. "We've seen Prime Minister Modi deliver on issues of technological governance, on issues of monetary policy, which is more flexible given the challenges that we have seen, especially in the last six years globally," she said.

"The Prime Minister, in fact, has set the agenda," Irani added. "It is incumbent upon us Indians to present it so that we can collect and assimilate more opportunities from an investment perspective for our country."

The former minister illustrated this with an example from Davos this year, where her work is focused exclusively on gender-linked economic outcomes. "Because my lens here is completely focused on gender, and I don't do rights-based conversations, my whole intent is to create opportunities for enterprise and economically impact back home," she said.

"We've had an announcement of a $40 million investment in Ayush for women's health, hormonal health, brain health, bone health," she said. "Now, these are announcements that never happen at the forum."

Irani said the outcome went beyond the headline number. "But are we limited to just announcements? No," she said. "Our intent was that we have female leadership in the enterprise." She noted that the pharmaceutical company involved had met that benchmark. "The pharmaceutical company one engaged with has ensured that there's a female leading. So that's the one tick for me as somebody who's a gender advocate here," Irani said.

She said the investment also aligned with India's broader policy priorities. "The other is the Prime Minister's intent was that issues such as our traditional medicine systems, Ayush, Ayurveda, find a global platform," she said. "It's a win on that checklist as well."

Irani said her work at Davos is also focused on channelling capital to women entrepreneurs who are usually excluded from global financial networks. "We are here to bring together investors so that women who own small businesses in India get not impact funds, but actually have investors who can invest in institutions that combine profit and purpose together," she said.

The former minister outlined the scale of the effort underway. "We are here to raise $100 million, of which we've already raised $2 million in the last 48 hours," Irani said. "And that money flows to women-owned businesses, which are small, who will never find a place, let's say, at a forum such as this, who will never sit at the table of money. We are taking that money to them."

Irani said the real outcome of Davos depends on how participants engage. "So, it depends on the Indian who engages at this forum, what you take back home," she said.