Mumbai to Host Second Global Impact Forum at The Taj Mahal Palace
Mumbai will host the second edition of the Global Impact Forum at The Taj Mahal Palace on September 5 and 6, serving as a diplomatic and economic prelude ahead of the 18th BRICS summit in New Delhi. The two-day summit marks the forum's debut in India and aims to leverage cultural heritage to strengthen cross-border business ties across the bloc.
Organised by AP Globale under the theme Civilisational Legacy, the soft power festival seeks to look beyond conventional geopolitical and financial frameworks by using shared history, creative expression, and intellectual systems to foster multilateral trade and enterprise.
Around 500 high-profile delegates, including diplomats, investors, academics, corporate leaders, and family offices, are scheduled to attend across both days. The event is also expected to draw approximately 50 companies from BRICS member nations and the extended bloc. Key leaders expected at the forum include Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis alongside Union ministers Piyush Goyal, Raksha Khadse, and Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.
The programming will feature panel discussions and workshops covering traditional medicine, martial arts, classical dance, literary crosscurrents, and indigenous heritage. Beyond diplomatic dialogue, the forum is structured to facilitate commercial engagement in the startup and venture capital sectors. Investment firm VC Grid, part of the Venture Catalyst group, will present 15 to 18 ventures across deep tech, healthcare, sustainable logistics, smart mobility, and fintech.
Speaking ahead of the forum, Aleksandr Fursov, Deputy Consul General of the Russian Federation in Mumbai, noted that bilateral trade between India and Russia reached nearly $70 billion in 2024, up from just under $64 billion the previous year, with further records anticipated in 2026. Fursov highlighted that soft power plays an essential supporting role in trade, adding that expanding Russian fertiliser production could benefit agriculture-centric states like Maharashtra.
Matvei Fetisov, Vice Consul for Protocol of the Russian Federation, noted the strength of bilateral initiatives like the BrahMos missile project and stressed that cultural understanding remains vital to sustaining long-term international partnerships.
Janhavi Pawar, director of AP Globale, stated that the summit seeks to produce tangible business outcomes by building on shared affinities, such as literature with Russia, sports with Brazil, and wildlife conservation with South Africa. The forum's schedule includes a cultural Gala Night featuring Capoeira and live percussion on the first day, concluding with a dedicated Founders’ Night for pitch-format networking on the second day.
