UP SHOWCASES DEFENCE CORRIDOR TO BRITISH FIRMS

Uttar Pradesh Cabinet minister for MSME and export promotion Sidharth Nath Singh on Thursday showcased the state’s potential and facilities being provided to investors willing to invest in the defence corridor project.

The United Kingdom’s minister for exports Graham Stuart and representatives of around 120 British defence, aerospace and security companies were also present at the virtual conference organised jointly by the state government and UK India Business Council (UKIBC) in this connection.

Singh mentioned the ease of doing business rating in which Uttar Pradesh was now ranked the second best state in India.

Graham Stuart asserted that UK, with its huge technology advantage, was the world’s second-largest defence exporter, as well as the third largest security equipment exporter, all across the globe. He showed UK’s eagerness to do more business with Uttar Pradesh by way of trade as well as investment relationship. Awanish Awasthi, additional chief Secretary (Home) and chief executive officer of Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA), was also present at the meeting.He presented the state’s case, mentioning the availability of land, labour, electricity, infrastructure, skilled manpower and support of the state government.

Additional chief secretary (MSME and Export Promotion) Navneet Sehgal was also present at the meeting.

Jayant Krishna, UKIBC’s Group CEO, stated that the UK’s defence and security firms could leverage the British technology and co-manufacture products here in a joint UK-India development team for manufacture in the defence corridor.Dominic Beales, first secretary (Defence and Security) at the British High Commission, was also present.