Mumbai might already look like the main character of India’s economy, but according to Devendra Fadnavis, what people see right now is just the trailer. The real movie, a massive city upgrade hasn’t even dropped yet.
Speaking at the IGF Mumbai 2026 Leaders Dinner with Manoj Ladwa, Fadnavis told a room full of finance and business heavyweights that the government is planning a full-on transformation of Mumbai over the next seven years. The idea is to level up how people commute, how they live, and how the city creates new spaces, all while keeping sustainability in the mix. In short: Mumbai’s about to get a serious glow-up.
The Chief Minister also linked the moment to what’s happening globally. With tensions heating up in West Asia, energy routes like the Strait of Hormuz facing uncertainty, and global money markets feeling kinda shaky, investors are hunting for places that feel stable and scalable. According to Fadnavis, India and especially Maharashtra is giving exactly that vibe right now.
He said global investors are increasingly looking at India as the spot where they can actually build stuff, innovate and scale big without chaos. And when those investors zoom in on India, Maharashtra often ends up being the top pick.
The evening kicked off with remarks from Abhimanyu Munjal, who talked about how Hero FinCorp has grown alongside India’s booming economy. He welcomed the Chief Minister and set the tone for a discussion about the country’s rapidly evolving financial ecosystem.
Earlier in the day, the third edition of IGF Mumbai: Catalysing Capital started with a bell-ringing ceremony at the National Stock Exchange of India. During a fireside chat, Ashish Chauhan highlighted how India’s capital markets have gone full viral in terms of participation.
He dropped a stat that low-key shocked many in the room: India now has 127 million retail investors. What used to be a niche finance club is now basically mainstream, with everyday Indians jumping into the markets.
Another closed-door discussion looked at something pretty wild that happened in 2025. Even after foreign investors pulled out more than ₹1.4 trillion from Indian equities, domestic institutional investors stepped in and kept the markets steady. Experts debated whether this shows India’s financial system is getting strong enough to handle global shocks without freaking out.
Overall, the message coming out of the event was pretty clear: Mumbai’s current vibe might already be big, but if the government’s plans actually play out, the city’s next phase could be on a whole different level.
