West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Embarks On Foreign Investment Tour To Dubai And Spain

West Bengal's Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, is embarking on a 12-day trip to Dubai and Spain starting from Tuesday until September 23. The primary objective of her visit is to attract foreign investments to her state. During her trip, Banerjee will visit Dubai, Madrid, and Barcelona, where she has a series of business meetings scheduled. This visit precedes the 7th Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS), slated for November 21-22 in Kolkata.

The itinerary includes a one-night stay in Dubai, followed by three days of business summits and meetings in Madrid. Afterward, she will head to Barcelona for two to three days of business discussions before returning to Dubai for additional meetings. The delegation will then return to Kolkata on September 23. The necessary permissions for this trip to Spain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) were granted by the Central government, with the state's chief secretary, HK Dwivedi, accompanying her.

Banerjee, expressing her excitement about the trip, mentioned that this marks her first foreign visit in five years, despite having received multiple invitations. She clarified that she prefers not to travel too far to ensure a swift return in case of emergencies.

In the past, the Chief Minister has traveled to Singapore, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands to encourage foreign investments in West Bengal.

Spain was the featured country at the 46th Kolkata International Book Fair (KIBF) earlier this year, and they have invited KIBF organizers to participate in the Liber Book Fair in Madrid in 2025. Banerjee hopes for Spain's participation in the upcoming BGBS and highlights Spain's popularity in film, football, painting, and its significant manufacturing industry.

Additionally, there are expectations of developments in the sports sector during the trip, as a delegation of prominent football clubs from Kolkata will be accompanying the Chief Minister. Former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly is also expected to be in Madrid during that time.