The Tata Group is set to invest approximately $11 billion in the development of this city and a data centre, according to Fadnavis.
This announcement was made during the World Economic Forum (WEF) Summit 2026 taking place in Davos, Switzerland.
“The Innovation City aims to integrate global innovation ecosystems into Mumbai. Our vision is to transform Mumbai into a center where individuals worldwide can easily access a plug-and-play innovation system. Tata Sons has pledged $11 billion for the development of Innovation City, which will also feature a data centre,” Fadnavis informed news agency ANI.
Described as Maharashtra’s dream project, the Maharashtra CM Office (CMO) stated that this “future-ready hub” will position Maharashtra at the forefront of artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductors, and Global Capability Centres (GCC).
CM Devendra Fadnavis announces Maharashtra’s dream project, the ‘Innovation City’, a major collaboration with the Tata Group. Situated near the Navi Mumbai International Airport, this future-ready hub will establish Maharashtra at the center of AI, semiconductors, and GCC.
As… pic.twitter.com/YDiMNGyW9l— CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) January 21, 2026
“As technology reshapes the global economy, Maharashtra is developing a responsible, world-class innovation ecosystem that will benefit our people and enhance the state’s economic prospects,” the CMO stated in a message on X (formerly Twitter).
“Conceptualized as an ambitious, future-prepared ecosystem, Innovation City will support groundbreaking research, innovative technologies, and high-impact, innovation-driven enterprises, positioning Maharashtra as a leader in AI-powered growth and next-generation development globally,” it further mentioned.
#WATCH | World Economic Forum, Davos | Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis remarked, “Today, we announced something significant. Last year in Davos, we focused on AI and the Innovation Ecosystem, which led us to propose creating an Innovation City in Maharashtra. I discussed this… pic.twitter.com/X44QF4sHiG
— ANI (@ANI) January 22, 2026
However, the initiative seems to have received a mixed reaction online. Some users on X expressed skepticism about the plan’s scope, referencing previous smart city projects that are still incomplete.
“The area is 100 acres but you call it a city?” queried user @Sonarkailash1. “How many of the 100 smart cities promised before have been built after spending nearly 1000 crores?? Just empty promises,” remarked another user @VikramPoonja.
“What is this!! After the grand failure of the ‘smart city’ initiative, now a new buzzword ‘innovation city’ to sell lies and make money. All politicians, regardless of their party, are the same. No difference at all,” posted user @0utlooks.
Conversely, some users praised the project, calling it a positive step forward and recognizing the state’s ambition for a new goal.
