WEF Davos 2018: Goyal eyes investments in Railways from VW, Siemens, others

Goyal expected to speak on India's plans to transition to alternative energy sources, partnering on energy solutions, finding transport solutions

Railways and Coal Minister Piyush Goyal will meet top bosses of multinational companies like Philips, Hitachi, Hewlett Packard, Volkswagen and Siemens in Davos where he is accompanying Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other Union ministers for the World Economic Forum.

Finding transport and energy solutions is high on Goyal's agenda, officials close to the developments told PTI.

The officials hoped that at a time when there is growing competition among multinational corporations to get into the railway business, Goyal's interactions with the who's who of the industry will lead to investments in the national transporter.

He will speak at an interactive session where he will share the dais with Rachel Kyte, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All.

Goyal, who earlier headed the new and renewable energy ministry, has set an ambitious target to source 25 per cent of Railways' energy requirement from renewable energy sources by 2025.

At the session, he is expected to speak on India's plans to transition to alternative energy sources, partnering on energy solutions to meet climate targets and collaborating on greater efficiency through smart city designs.

Also on the schedule are discussions on energy, digital, mobility and infrastructure industries.

The railway minister will also discuss issues relating to transport and how a city space can be developed so that all modes of transport are interconnected seamlessly.

The officials said he will also be part of a workshop where private-sector leaders from mobility industries as well as policy-makers and experts will discuss the solution to the mobility challenges.

"Connecting and integrating disparate modes of transport city bus, ocean shipping, rideshare, autonomous pod, bike-share, air travel, rail to enhance the overall efficiency of the transport network and enable faster, safer, cleaner and more affordable mobility of people and goods will be discussed," a senior official said.

Goyal is also likely to have one to one meetings with Chief Executive of Japan Bank Tadashi Maeda for International Cooperation (JBIC), and Jin Liqun, president of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, Beijing.