Mauritius business delegation explores trade, investment opportunities in UP

Varanasi (UP), Sep 11 (PTI) A delegation from Mauritius on Thursday met representatives of Indian business associations here to explore collaborations in renewables, infrastructure, artificial intelligence and other sectors.

Organized by Invest UP, the meeting brought together leading Indian business associations to explore collaborations in key sectors like renewables, infrastructure, ports, roads, healthcare, pharma, financial services, infrastructure, tourism and artificial intelligence (AI), an official statement issued in Lucknow said.

The meeting aimed to deepen economic ties and foster long-term investment partnerships between Uttar Pradesh and Mauritius.

Senior officials and representatives from industry bodies such as IIA, CII, PHDCCI, Indian American Chamber of Commerce, Assocham, and Laghu Udyog Bharti actively participated in the discussions, it said.

Welcoming the 28-member delegation, Invest UP Additional CEO Shashank Chaudhary made a presentation on investment opportunities in the state.

He highlighted the state's strong fundamentals, noting that over 56 per cent of UP's population falls within the working-age group, providing a substantial demographic dividend.

He emphasised the state's unmatched connectivity, supported by a robust network of expressways, five international airports (including the upcoming Noida International Airport, one of Asia's largest), and 16 domestic airports.

He further underlined that the state offers 34-plus sectoral policies with some of the most attractive incentives in India.

Calling upon the Mauritian delegation to leverage these advantages, he invited them to explore UP's Fortune Global and India-500 Investment promotion policy 2023 and the UP Industrial Investment & Employment Promotion Policy 2022, both designed to attract global investors.

He also highlighted investor facilitation and EoDB through India's largest single-window platform Nivesh Mitra.

The Mauritian delegation was led by Sanjay Bhunjun, who underscored the historic and cultural bonds between India and Mauritius.

He described Mauritius as "Chhota Bharat” (Small India), highlighting the shared values and emotional ties with Uttar Pradesh.

Bhunjun also stressed that Mauritius could serve as a gateway and base for Indian businesses expanding into Africa.

P S Gangadhar, Joint Secretary, Government of India, emphasised that UP has huge potential and noted that both UP and Mauritius can help each other forge stronger alliances.

He further highlighted that Mauritius is one of the largest sources of trade and FDI for India.

The meeting concluded with a strong commitment from both sides to build on these synergies and unlock new avenues of trade, investment, and cultural exchange. Industry associations from Uttar Pradesh expressed keen interest and invited Mauritian businesses to invest in the state, the statement said. PTI ABN HVA