New Delhi [India], September 13 (ANI): Maharashtra is seeking to host the next BRICS Summit in Mumbai and is positioning the state as a major destination for investment, particularly in data centres and related digital infrastructure, Ashish Jaiswal, Minister of State for Finance and Planning, said on the sidelines of the iBRICS Summit 2026.
Jaiswal said he attended the summit on the instructions of the Maharashtra Chief Minister and expressed the state's ambition to bring the next BRICS Summit to Mumbai, while using the platform to showcase Maharashtra's investment potential to the world.
"I want that the next BRICS summit should be in Mumbai and in front of the world, with the biggest investment in Maharashtra, there should be a good pathway of BRICS," Jaiswal said.
He said Maharashtra's geographical position, infrastructure and economic capabilities give it significant potential to attract investments from BRICS countries and other partner economies.
Jaiswal particularly highlighted Nagpur, which he described as the centre of the country within Maharashtra, as an important location for future investment and infrastructure development.
He pointed to the state's power availability and water infrastructure as key strengths that could support large-scale digital infrastructure projects. Maharashtra, he said, is self-reliant in power and has developed significant dam infrastructure, creating favourable conditions for industries that require reliable energy and resources.
"Keeping all these things in mind, Maharashtra has a lot of potential for a data centre," Jaiswal said.
The minister also pointed to the potential role of BRICS investment and HWF in creating a financial support system for data-centre projects in the state. He said such investments could help establish a larger ecosystem around data centres and strengthen Maharashtra's position in the digital economy.
The push comes as demand for data storage, cloud computing and digital infrastructure continues to rise, creating opportunities for states with reliable power, connectivity and investment-ready infrastructure.
For Maharashtra, hosting a future BRICS summit could provide an additional platform to showcase its industrial and infrastructure capabilities to investors from the grouping. Jaiswal said the state wanted to leverage the BRICS platform to attract large investments and build stronger economic linkages. (ANI)
Maharashtra MoS Ashish Jaiswal pitches Mumbai to host next BRICS Summit, seeks data-centre investments
