Global university tie-ups to boost Maharashtra’s knowledge economy

Davos: Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday announced that Maharashtra has signed Memorandums of Understanding with renowned international universities such as MIT and Berkeley to explore new ways to improve its technology and systems. These special partnerships will help the state share expert knowledge and use modern tools to solve local problems.

Regarding the shift towards expert collaboration, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis said, "MoUs are just the byproduct of the interaction which we are having here. I am very happy that a lot of investment is coming to Maharashtra, and it is in diverse sectors, and all the companies that are investing are bringing FDI to Maharashtra, which is very important. Today, we are focusing more on strategic MoUs. We have signed MoUs with the University of Berkeley, MIT, and many other institutions, through which we partner with them to share knowledge, bring technologies, and implement processes."

Meanwhile, Maharashtra secured investment commitments across multiple sectors, including infrastructure and steel, on the opening day of the World Economic Forum 2026 in Davos.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis presided over the exchange of several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) between the Government of Maharashtra and various global entities to promote industrial and urban development. According to the Maharashtra Chief Minister's Office on X, the state government signed agreements in sectors including logistics, steel, and urban infrastructure.

One of the commitments came from the SBG Group, which signed an MoU with the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) to invest USD 20 billion in the logistics sector.

This project aimed to generate 4,50,000 jobs in the Mumbai and MMR region. Additionally, Alta Capital and Panchshil Realty committed 25 billion dollars, with a projected employment generation of 2,50,000. These agreements highlighted the state's focus on the Mumbai Metropolitan Region as a destination for capital and employment.

K Raheja Corp signed an agreement worth 10 billion dollars to create 1,00,000 jobs, while Sumitomo Realty & Development and IISM Global each committed 8 billion dollars, promising 80,000 jobs each. In the manufacturing sector, BFN Forgings signed an agreement for 565 crore rupees in the steel sector, targeting the Palghar and MMR region to provide employment for 847 individuals.

The Maharashtra government also established partnerships for urban transformation, exchanging MoUs with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) as a strategy and policy partner and with Sembcorp Development Ltd from Singapore as a knowledge partner for integrated industrial parks with low carbon emissions.

The Technical University of Munich agreed to collaborate on sustainable urban transport systems, while the Urban Futures Collective from London worked on creating digital twin ecosystems for Mumbai to enhance urban livability and resilience.

Following a discussion with Juvencio Maeztu, CEO and President of Ingka Group (IKEA Retail), Chief Minister Fadnavis said on X, "It was nice to know about IKEA's plans for India, and he thanked us for the support by GoM for their business in Maharashtra. Very happy to hear from him IKEA's plans for large-scale investment and expansion in Maharashtra."

The Minister also stated that he held an engagement with Jeff Merritt, Head of Urban Transformation at the WEF, which included discussions, "on global industrial shifts and the role of sustainable innovation in future enterprise development."

This report was published from a syndicated wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.