Outlook Business Desk
At the fourth edition of World Food India 2025, held from 25 to 28 September at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged global investors to explore India’s food sector, highlighting its huge domestic demand, diverse produce, and role in global food security.
Modi stressed India’s “triple strength” of diversity, strong internal demand, and scale, making the country a preferred destination for food sector investors. He said every investment evaluates these natural strengths before committing capital.
India produces nearly every type of grain, fruit and vegetable. This agricultural diversity positions the country uniquely in the global food landscape, offering investors numerous opportunities across production, processing, and value-added food products.
The Indian government is actively supporting the food processing sector, he said, through 100% foreign direct investment, production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme, and mega food parks. Over the past decade, processing capacity has grown twenty-fold, while exports of processed foods have more than doubled.
Modi highlighted India’s progress, noting 250 million people have moved out of poverty, joining the neo-middle class. This energetic segment drives domestic consumer demand, shaping food trends and offering opportunities for innovative products in the market.
Modi pointed out that India’s young innovators are transforming the food and agriculture sector, with start-ups integrating artificial intelligence, e-commerce, drones, and apps to improve supply chains, retail, and processing, reinforcing India as the world’s third-largest start-up ecosystem.
Recognising the well-known challenges of the twenty-first century, Modi emphasised India’s active role in global food security, stating that during any global crop crisis or supply chain disruption, the country reliably meets its responsibilities.
Modi also highlighted that biodegradable packaging is crucial today, noting the importance of maintaining product freshness while taking responsibility for the environment. Accordingly, GST on biodegradable packaging has been cut from 18% to 5%, and he encouraged all industry players to invest in related innovations.