New Delhi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi pitched for global investments in India during a special address to world leaders at the World Economic Forum's (WEF) five-day online 'Davos Agenda' summit on Monday. 

In his address, Modi spelled out the various steps his government has taken to make it the world’s most attractive investment destination and cited the rising number of startups in the country.

“In 2014, there were a few hundred registered startups in India. Today, their number has crossed 60,000 with more than 10,000 registered in the last six months. More than 50 lakh software developers are working in the country today,” he said.

Modi said India held out hope for the rest of the world.

"India is celebrating its 75th year of Independence and also the administration of 156 crore vaccine doses in the country. India has gifted the world a bouquet of hope. In this bouquet, we Indians have an unwavering trust in our democracy, we have the technology to empower the 21st century with the temperament and talent of Indians," he said.

The Prime Minister also emphasized that India is today the third-largest pharma producer in the world. "In the COVID times, we have seen how India following the vision of 'One Earth, One Health' is saving crores of lives by giving essential medicines and vaccines to many countries," he said.

PM Modi also stressed that India has the world's largest, safe and successful digital payments platform. "In the last month alone, 4.4 billion transactions have taken place in India through Unified Payments Interface (UPI)," he added.

Several heads of state are scheduled to address the WEF's virtual event Davos Agenda is being held from January 17. The five-day event will also witness the participation of top industry leaders, international organisations, and civil society, who will deliberate on critical challenges being faced by the world today and discuss how to address them.