London, Nov 28 (PTI) Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav's visit to Britain this week has resulted in a major boost for the state, following meetings and extensive dialogues with several companies expected to attract around Rs 60,000 crore worth of investments.
As a precursor to the Invest Madhya Pradesh Global Investment Summit in February 2025, Yadav’s three-day UK visit showcased the vast investment opportunities on offer in the “investor-friendly” state across all major sectors.
"Madhya Pradesh is emerging as a prime investment destination for UK businesses and investors," Yadav said during his keynote address at an “Investment Opportunities in Madhya Pradesh” interactive session in London on Tuesday.
“England and India have a shared legacy, which is democracy – the pride in which we feel equally in both nations. Under the visionary and dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the country has successfully established itself on the world stage... And in India, Madhya Pradesh is not just a destination for investment, but a partner in progress, offering limitless opportunities across sectors like agribusiness, renewable energy and logistics,” he said.
Rajesh Rajora, Additional Chief Secretary to the CM, highlighted the state's unique strengths in driving economic growth and attracting global investments.
"Madhya Pradesh’s strategic location, reliable power supply, rich natural resources, and abundant water availability have positioned it as a preferred destination for investors from around the world,” he said.
Raghwendra Kumar Singh, Principal Secretary in the state’s Department of Industrial Policy & Investment Promotion, highlighted the CM’s target for Madhya Pradesh to double its state economy in just four and a half years, targeting an increase in GDP from the current 4.6 per cent to over 7 per cent.
“Madhya Pradesh is embracing the power of science and technology to drive innovation, create opportunities, and shape a future that aligns with global advancements,” said Additional Chief Secretary Sanjay Dubey.
Pramod Mittal from Ispat International, Prakash Lohia from Indorama Group and Akash Paul from Caparo were among the UK-based industrialists who met with the chief minister to explore avenues for growth and collaboration with the state.
Opportunities across information technology, renewable energy, engineering, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, artificial intelligence (AI), food, electronics, skills development and healthcare emerged as the focus areas during the talks.
"Madhya Pradesh today is among the top five states in the ease of doing business rankings in India. The simplest and obvious advantage it offers is its location, it is connected 360 degrees to every part of India. Madhya Pradesh has sought to be not just a state that connects up most of the rest of the country, but a state that takes advantage and leads in that,” said Indian High Commissioner to the UK Vikram Doraiswami in his address at the investment summit.
It was followed by sector-specific roundtable discussions around key areas such as electric vehicles (EVs), auto and renewable energy, education and food processing, as a platform for in-depth discussions with industry and sectoral experts.
The UK leg of Yadav's Europe visit concluded in Coventry on Wednesday with a visit to the University of Warwick for a tour of the Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG) and its successful tie-ups between academia and business. Yadav explored the campus and also interacted with Indian students enrolled at WMG on innovative programmes.
“We aim to conduct research activities and leverage this knowledge not only for industrial advancement but also for societal benefit,” stated Yadav.
His UK visit got underway on Monday with discussions and a tour of the British Parliament followed by floral tributes at the Mahatma Gandhi memorial at Parliament Square. Other highlights included a massive diaspora gathering organised by the Friends of MP, tributes to Dr B R Ambedkar on Constitution Day at Ambedkar House in north London, a commemorative event to mark the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks at the High Commission of India in London and a stopover at the Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Neasden, north London.
The six-day European visit will conclude in Germany on Friday, where Yadav has a similarly packed agenda to explore investment and comprehensive collaborative opportunities. PTI AK ZH ZH