Kolkata is set to host Pravasi Bharatiya Divas for the first time from January 7 to 9, 2027, with around 10,000 to 12,000 overseas Indians from 75 countries expected to attend, according to a report citing officials at West Bengal’s state secretariat, Nabanna.
The three-day event is expected to bring industrialists, academics, economists and other professionals to the city. The report said the state government plans to use the convention to present West Bengal’s investment, industrial and technology opportunities to the overseas Indian community.
The announcement places Kolkata at the centre of a major government-led engagement programme linking the Indian diaspora with investment and development opportunities in India. Nabanna officials told the publication that contacts had already been established with overseas Indian communities in different countries ahead of the event.
Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is observed on January 9 every year. The date marks Mahatma Gandhi’s return to India from South Africa in 1915. The annual programme was started in 2003 to strengthen ties between the Indian government and Indians living abroad and to recognise the contribution of the diaspora to India’s development.
The convention typically provides the host state with an opportunity to showcase investment possibilities, business partnerships and potential joint ventures. According to the report, West Bengal is expected to use the Kolkata event to attract foreign investment and technology and to present the state’s facilities and opportunities to potential investors.
The event is also expected to require coordination across state and central agencies, particularly because it will involve international delegates, business meetings and public programmes over three days. The supplied report does not specify the venues, estimated public expenditure, security arrangements, transport plans or the investment commitments expected from the convention.
The Prime Minister may attend the event in West Bengal, the report said. Narendra Modi inaugurated last year’s Pravasi Bharatiya Divas celebrations in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. Previous editions have also been held in states including Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha.
For Kolkata, the convention will be both a diplomatic and an urban-management exercise. The city will have to accommodate a large international gathering while supporting official meetings, business interactions and movement between event venues. Details of the programme, venues and logistical arrangements are expected to be announced by the authorities as preparations progress.
