The Next Phase Of Indian Enterprise: Western India Takes The Lead

The News18 Rising Bharat Summit - West Edition in Mumbai will gather leaders to discuss India's next phase of enterprise, focusing on Western India's economic growth.

As India moves from economic momentum to global ambition, Western India’s capital, industries and entrepreneurial energy are helping shape what comes next. The News18 Rising Bharat Summit – West Edition will bring together the people and ideas driving this transformation.

India’s enterprise journey has reached an inflection point. Having demonstrated its ability to create businesses, attract investment and build at scale, the nation must now develop enduring institutions, reinvent industries and compete for global leadership. Under the theme ‘The Next Phase of Indian Enterprise,’ the News18 Rising Bharat Summit – West Edition will bring this transition to the centre of the conversation, exploring how capital, policy, technology, infrastructure and talent can unlock India’s next decade of growth.

India enters this phase with considerable economic momentum with real GDP growing by 7.7% in FY2025-26 and estimated gross fixed capital formation at 30% of GDP, and total merchandise and services exports reaching $825.3 billion in FY2024-25. Meanwhile, MSMEs account for 31.1% of GDP, 35.4% of manufacturing and 48.58% of exports. Together, these figures reflect an economy powered by investment, entrepreneurship and an expanding ability to serve global markets.

Western India is central to this growth story. Across Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Goa, the region brings together financial markets, industrial clusters, ports and logistics networks, manufacturing capabilities, technology hubs, renewable energy and a strong services economy. This concentration of capital, infrastructure and entrepreneurial ambition allows Western India to connect ideas with investment, industry with markets and regional capability with national scale, making it a powerful force in building an Enterprise Nation.

This momentum is being carried forward by both established institutions and a new generation of businesses. Manufacturing, infrastructure, finance, real estate, mobility, technology, consumer businesses and clean energy are creating fresh avenues for growth. At the same time, start-ups and MSMEs are introducing new business models, reaching underserved markets and generating employment. The challenge now is to help these enterprises access capital, adopt technology, strengthen supply chains, build skilled teams and grow from domestic success stories into globally competitive businesses.

At the News18 Rising Bharat Summit – West Edition, these priorities will come together through conversations with the leaders shaping policy, allocating capital, building industries and creating new markets. The Summit will examine how businesses can move from ambition to scale, how established institutions can discover new engines of growth, and how India can widen access to capital, accelerate innovation, strengthen infrastructure and prepare talent for emerging opportunities.

Over the years, the News18 Rising Bharat Summit has emerged as one of India’s biggest platforms driving conversations that shape the future of Bharat. By bringing distinguished policymakers, industry leaders, entrepreneurs, innovators, cultural ambassadors and changemakers onto one stage, it connects regional strengths with national priorities and transforms the idea of an Enterprise Nation into a shared agenda for growth.

The HDFC Bank presents the News18 Rising Bharat Summit – West Edition, with ITC Limited as Bharat Growth Partner and PhonePe, Spinny, Joy Personal Care and Reliance Industries Limited as Associate Partners, will take place in Mumbai on 28 October 2026, from 10 AM onwards. Know more at https://www.news18features.com/risingbharatsummit/