Is Punjab the next Dubai? Minister woos UAE investors with big offer

Chandigarh/Dubai: Punjab Commerce and Industries Minister Aman Arora has invited investors from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to explore opportunities across the state. He offered government support, faster clearances and access to state’s industrial facilities.

The minister made the pitch during a meeting with Abdulla Ahmed Al Suwaidi, secretary general of the UAE International Investment Council (UAEIIC), on the sidelines of the Annual Investment Meeting (AIM) in Dubai on Monday (September 7).

The meeting explored ways to bring more UAE capital into Punjab and build partnerships between investors, institutions and businesses in the state. It took place as part of the Punjab government’s effort to attract international investment and strengthen the state’s industrial base under Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.

During the meeting, Arora explained Punjab’s economic potential and encouraged UAE investors to consider projects through government, semi-government and private sector partnerships. He said the state is ready to provide administrative assistance and logistical support to companies looking to set up new facilities or expand existing businesses.

The minister also highlighted the government’s efforts to make investment procedures easier through ‘Invest Punjab’, the state’s unified single-window system. The platform provides statutory approvals and clearances to investors through a centralised process.

Arora said the system ha been designed to reduce delays and make it easier for companies to enter and operate in the state. “Punjab offers a highly conducive entrepreneurial ecosystem, excellent multimodal connectivity, skilled technical manpower and a transparent governance system.

We invite UAE business leaders to become active partners in Punjab’s transformative economic growth story,” he said. The minister also stressed the Punjab government’s readiness to support UAE-based companies and institutional investors from the early stages of setting up projects.

The state has offered handholding and facilitation to businesses seeking land, approvals, connectivity and other support required for their operations. The UAE International Investment Council brings together public and private entities to promote foreign direct investment (FDI) overseas.

The meeting with the Punjab delegation aimed to develop stronger institutional ties between the UAE and the state. The interactions also covered opportunities for direct capital investment and joint ventures involving UAE investors and Punjab-based businesses.

Arora said the Mann government wants to build long-term economic partnerships with UAE investors and institutional funds. He presented Punjab as a state with skilled technical manpower, established connectivity and an investment system aimed at making business approvals easier.

The meeting took place as Punjab seeks to strengthen its international investor base and attract more capital to its industrial and economic sectors. The state government has been using platforms such as the Annual Investment Meeting in Dubai to connect with investors and present opportunities available in Punjab.

The minister said the talks in Dubai would help build stronger business links between Punjab and the UAE and develop investment opportunities in the state. His outreach is also part of the Mann government’s efforts to build overseas partnerships and strengthen the industrial sector by bringing foreign businesses into the state through government-backed investment facilitation.

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