Chandigarh
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Tuesday pushed for stronger and broader engagement with the United Kingdom, especially in unexplored business domains, while chairing the Punjab UK Engagement Strategic Dialogue here.
During a meeting with British Deputy High Commissioner Alba Smeriglio and representatives of various UK-linked and multinational companies, the Chief Minister said Punjab is keen to deepen ties with the UK in both traditional and emerging sectors. He said the state has identified five core pillars of collaboration higher education, textiles, engineering, auto components and agro & food processing along with new focus areas including pharmaceuticals and healthcare, information technology, Global Capability Centres (GCCs) and business services. Bhagwant Singh Mann shared a detailed dossier showcasing Punjab’s strengths, highlighting that the state enjoys world-class physical connectivity with five airports and robust national highway links, giving seamless access to domestic and international markets.
The Chief Minister said that Punjab has a highly skilled workforce, which is crucial for the growth of every sector and added that the state offers competitive and peaceful labour, making it an attractive destination for investment. Bhagwant Singh Mann underlined that Punjab has a unified investment facilitation mechanism adding that Invest Punjab, acts as a single regulator and provides all requisite clearances within a stipulated time frame under a deemed approval regime, thereby giving confidence and certainty to investors. He also drew attention to the state’s fast-track portal and single-window initiative aimed at simplifying procedures, reducing compliance burden and further improving Ease of Doing Business in Punjab.
The Chief Minister shared his future vision and said that the state government is making concerted efforts to accelerate economic progress in the state. He held detailed deliberations with dignitaries and senior representatives from various firms, including those with strong UK linkages, many of whom shared their ancestral connection with Punjab. Bhagwant Singh Mann urged them to start or expand their businesses from Punjab and extended a red-carpet welcome to investors from the UK, asserting that Punjab’s strong infrastructure, reliable power supply and investor-friendly policies make it an ideal investment destination.
The Chief Minister invited the investors from UK to participate in the Progressive Punjab Investors Summit (PPIS) 2026 at Mohali and proposed a special UK-focused session during the summit. He welcomed the companies that participated in the deliberations included Tynor, Hindustan Unilever, Bedford School, Munjal Birmingham University, Ganga Acrowools, Netsmartz, Rockpecker and others.
Meanwhile British Deputy High Commissioner Ms. Alba Smeriglio expressed hope for bolstering bilateral ties with active participation from both sides and said it was an exciting experience for her to work with businessmen from the Punjabi diaspora. She noted that there is immense potential for deepening collaboration between Punjab and the UK across multiple sectors.
