Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday kickstarted the investors' summit in Dharamshala. This is Himachal Pradesh's first global investors' summit. The event aims to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) to the country and create jobs. In his address, PM Modi said, "It is not a fantasy, it is a reality, it is unprecedented, it is amazing. It is an assertion of Himachal Pradesh to the whole country to the whole world, that it too is now gearing up. Today Himachal is saying: "Yes, we have arrived".

PM Modi then said that in today's global scenario if India is standing strong, it is because it has not let the fundamentals of its economy weaken. "We have continued our commitment to macro-economic stability and strictly followed the fiscal discipline," he said. Talking about growth and potential, the PM said that there are many possibilities in every state and district. He emphasised that there is great potential which if harnessed by the governments, industry, small scale industries and service sector, will push India forward faster.

He said, "Earlier these type of investor summits used to be held in only a few states of the country. There are many people who are witnesses of the conditions earlier. But, now the situation is changing and this summit happening here in Himachal is a witness of the change."

Earlier, a gap was felt in Himachal. This gap was quality infrastructure and simplification of government processes. The central government has tried its best to fill this gap with the state government, he said further.

Speaking about Himachal's development, PM said, "Clarity in Himachal's community and its potential, your capital, and the policy here, will become a medium of great change. And as you give more and more opportunities to the youth here and use their talent, these benefits will increase manifold."

He added, "Today, the growth vehicle in India is running on four wheels with new thinking, new approach. One wheel represents the society, which is aspiring. The second wheel is the government, which is encouraging a new India. The third wheel is the industry, which is daring; and the fourth wheel is knowledge, which is for sharing."

Talking about the government's decision to set up a Special Window fund to revive the real estate sector, PM Modi said, "Just yesterday we took another major decision keeping in mind the middle class of the country. This decision will help fulfil the dreams of more than four-and-a-half lakh families of owning a house."

Around 209 global delegates attended the event. Home Minister Amit Shah, Road and Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, MoS Finance Anurag Thakur were among the attendees.

National and international business delegates arrived at Dharamsala on Wednesday for the summit along with other industry and foreign investors. The investors' summit -- Rising Himachal -- aims to attract investment in the agri-business, food processing and post-harvest technology, manufacturing and pharmaceuticals, tourism, hospitality and civil aviation, hydro and renewable energy and other sectors.