At the World Food India 2025 summit in New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Patrushev.

The discussions centred on strengthening bilateral cooperation in critical sectors such as agriculture, fertilisers, and food processing, areas in which India and Russia have longstanding strategic and economic interests. The meeting underscored the deepening of ties beyond defence and energy into sectors crucial for food security and rural development.

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, both leaders exchanged views on practical ways to expand collaboration in fertilisers—which Russia remains a major global supplier of—along with agriculture technology and food processing. These areas are especially relevant given India’s goal of enhancing self-reliance in agricultural supply chains, modernising storage and processing infrastructure, and ensuring affordable fertiliser supplies to its farmers.

Prime Minister Modi used the occasion to convey warm greetings to Russian President Vladimir Putin and reiterated his anticipation of welcoming him to India for the upcoming 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit. This gesture reaffirmed India's commitment to maintaining strong strategic ties with Russia, especially at a time when global food and fertiliser supply chains have been affected by geopolitical volatility.

In his address to the World Food India gathering, Prime Minister Modi highlighted India’s unique “triple strength” of diversity, demand, and scale. He emphasised that India produces nearly every type of grain, fruit, and vegetable, and that the country’s rich culinary variety reflects its agricultural diversity. This variety, coupled with strong domestic demand, provides both resilience and a competitive edge in global markets, positioning India as an attractive destination for global Agri-investors.

The Prime Minister drew attention to the social and economic transformation of India over the last decade. He noted that around 250 million Indians have emerged from poverty to join the neo-middle class, creating a dynamic and aspirational consumer base. This segment is expected to drive significant growth in demand for processed food, packaged goods, and healthier alternatives, thereby fuelling investor interest in India’s food economy.

Modi also featured India’s youth and technological capacity as key drivers of growth in agriculture and food processing. He pointed out that India is now the world’s third-largest start-up ecosystem, with many emerging ventures in Agritech, e-commerce-driven food supply, drone-based crop management, and AI-enabled processing methods. These technologies are transforming supply chains and creating new models of sustainable food distribution and retail.

The 2025 edition of World Food India, held at Bharat Mandapam from September 25–28, is showcasing India’s capabilities as a global hub for food processing and Agri-based innovation.

The event includes CEO round tables, technical sessions, exhibitions, and B2B, B2G, and G2G engagements, covering 21 exhibiting countries and involving more than 150 international participants. Key themes range from food processing sustainability and net zero initiatives to speciality foods, nutraceuticals, pet food, and plant-based alternatives.

As part of the government’s support strategy, credit-linked funding exceeding ₹770 crore is being extended to around 26,000 beneficiaries for micro-projects worth ₹2,510 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme. This initiative reflects the government’s focus on empowering small and medium enterprises in the sector, boosting formalisation, and linking local producers to both national and international markets.

The summit’s diverse participation highlights India’s ambition to emerge as a global leader in food sustainability and innovation. Engagement with countries such as France, Germany, Australia, and South Korea signals strong opportunities for knowledge sharing and technological collaborations.

The sessions on plant-based foods, nutraceuticals, and processed foods for health also underscore India’s intention to align with global consumer trends, while simultaneously addressing nutrition and wellness challenges at home.

Based On ANI Report