London, Oct 17
After a successful round of investor outreach in Europe's largest economy Germany, Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma-led high-level delegation of the Rajasthan government has started off the UK outreach.
The delegation held talks with the UK government's Minister for Indo-Pacific, Catherine West, seeking the support of the British government in facilitating investment and new business in Rajasthan. In a separate engagement, Chief Minister Sharma and other members of the delegation visited the UK Parliament at the Palace of Westminster in London, where they held a meeting with selected UK parliamentarians of Indian origin to seek their assistance in bringing investment to the state. Chief Minister Sharma also invited both the UK's Minister for Indo-Pacific and the parliamentarians to participate in the upcoming 'Rising Rajasthan' Global Investment Summit 2024, scheduled to be held in December in Jaipur. The delegation engaged in one-on-one talks with UK-based firms from various sectors, including Information and Communication Technology (ICT), construction, diamonds, and automobiles. Meetings included discussions with top officials from companies such as Element Six (a De Beers Group Company that deals with synthetic diamonds and processing tools), CyanConnode (the world leader in developing Narrowband RF mesh networks), JCB (which manufactures construction and industrial vehicles and operates a facility in Rajasthan), and Triumph Motorcycles (the largest UK-owned motorcycle manufacturer). Additionally, they met with officials from Wanderlust, a leading travel magazine and website, to explore opportunities for promoting Rajasthan as a premier travel destination, highlighting its rich cultural heritage, vibrant landscapes, and diverse tourism offerings to inspire global travelers. Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma stated, "The ties between India and the United Kingdom date back several centuries. We had very fruitful and comprehensive talks with the officials of the UK government and parliamentarians and requested their cooperation. We also had a productive discussion with several British firms and invited them to explore business opportunities in the state." Subsequently, the delegation will participate in a Rajasthan diaspora event as part of the state government's special outreach to connect with the non-resident Rajasthani community and rejuvenate ties with their motherland. The NRR community will also be requested to facilitate investment and establish new business ventures in the state.