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MUMBAI, NOVEMBER 17, 2025
The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has joined hands with the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) to host the first edition of the Earth Summit 2025-26. The annual initiative, designed to reshape the future of rural development, will comprise a series of three conferences to be held in Hyderabad, Gandhinagar, and New Delhi between November 2025 and February 2026.
Built around the theme ‘Empowering Rural Innovation for Global Change’, the Earth Summit will serve as a global platform to drive policy conversations, investments, and cross-sector collaborations that enable rural transformation. Leaders and experts from diverse fields will deliberate on bridging gaps between technology, finance, agriculture, and climate action to build a more sustainable and inclusive rural economy.
Speaking about the initiative, NABARD Chairman Shaji K. V. said, “The Earth Summit is a step towards building a future where rural innovation drives sustainable global growth. NABARD’s vision has always been to strengthen the rural economy by connecting knowledge, technology, and finance to empower communities at the grassroots. Through this initiative, we aim to create a vibrant platform for collaboration, bringing together ideas, investments, and policy insights that can turn rural potential into real-world progress. Our partnership with IAMAI reflects NABARD’s belief that inclusive development in villages can become the cornerstone of global transformation.”
IAMAI President Dr. Subho Ray added, “The primary idea behind the Earth Summit is to chart a way forward to turn local innovation into lasting change, shaping a rural economy that is sustainable, equitable, and globally relevant. Anchored in India’s phenomenal success with Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), the conferences will demonstrate how inclusive innovation can scale across geographies, especially across the Global South. We are grateful to NABARD for partnering with us on this unique annual initiative.”
The first conference will take place at the HITEX Exhibition Centre in Hyderabad on November 20–21, 2025. The second will be held at Mahatma Mandir, Gandhinagar, on December 5–6, 2025, followed by the all-India finale in New Delhi in February 2026.
Across its three conferences, the Earth Summit 2025-26 will bring together policymakers, regulators, industry leaders, investors, innovators, startup founders, NGOs, and members of academia. In addition to speaker sessions, each conference will feature a range of ancillary events, including hackathons, startup-investor connect programmes, exhibitions, and product showcases.
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