Geopolitics, AI dominate agenda as PM Modi meets 4 foreign leaders at Vibrant Gujarat 

On the first day of the 9th edition of Vibrant Gujarat in Gandhi Nagar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held bilateral meetings with four world leaders and discussed everything from investment to geopolitics to artificial intelligence. 

Modi met Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Prime Minister of Denmark Lars Løkke Rasmussen, Prime Minister of Malta Dr Joseph Muscat and Prime Minister of Czech Republic Andrej Babis. The three-day investment summit from 18th to 20th January is a biannual event which was started in 2003 when PM Modi was the chief minister of Gujarat. 

Uzbekistan: India focus on Afghanistan 

Uzbekistan's President and PM discussed the first India-Central Asia Dialogue which took place in Samarkand, Uzbekistan last week. According to a statement released by the ministry of external affairs (MEA), Prime Minister thanked President Mirziyoyev for his support for the First India-Central Asia Dialogue "where important discussions also took place on support to peace and development in Afghanistan". While President Mirziyoyev said the dialogue "demonstrated India's positive impact on  Central Asia and the joint quest of the participant countries for peace in Afghanistan." Uzbekistan's Novoi Minerals & Metallurgical Company signed an agreement with Department of Atomic Energy on the long-term supply of Uranium Ore Concentrate for India's energy requirements. This is the second visit of Uzbekistan's President to India in 6 months. He was in India from September 30 to October 1 for a state visit.

Denmark: Second Nordic leader in two weeks in India

With Denmark's PM, India focused on technology cooperation. Rasmussen is the second Nordic leader to visit India this month after the visit by Norway's Prime Minister Erna Solberg two weeks ago. Ties between the two countries had taken a dip after no progress in the extradition of Kim Davy but both India and Denmark agreed to revive ties, especially after the first India Nordic summit in Stockholm last year when PM Rasmussen met PM Modi. 

Around 130 Danish companies have invested in India in areas such as shipping, renewable energy, environment, agriculture and food processing.

Malta: Artificial intelligence, blockchain 

Indian Pharma, IT industry especially Artificial Intelligence (AI) dominated talks between Malta's PM and PM Modi. Malta's PM invited India to cooperate with his country on advanced technologies such as AI, blockchain and financial technologies. Malta which has been unofficially known as the "1st blockchain island" last year brought in formal legislation on blockchain technology and sees Indian IT playing an important role.

Czech Republic: Investment focus 

During his interaction with the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, PM Modi invited Czech companies to invest in defence, automotive and railway sectors.  Czech PM invited nomination of an Indian scientist for its Research & Development Council. President Ram Nath Kovind visited the central European country in September last year. 

Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Japan, Morocco, Norway, Poland, South Africa, South Korea, Thailand, The Netherlands, UAE and Uzbekistan are the 15 countries partnering this year's Vibrant Gujarat.