Mumbai, Sept 10 (PTI) Maharashtra and the United Kingdom can collaborate in the areas of fintech and green energy, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said on Thursday as he made a pitch for greater cooperation between Mumbai and London.
Speaking at the House of Lords, the upper house of the UK Parliament in London, Shinde said India and the UK share more than just history.
“The two nations share values of democracy, liberty and entrepreneurship. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, this partnership has entered into a golden era. Through comprehensive strategic partnership, the two nations are working closely more than ever before,” he said.
Recent trade discussions have made this partnership stronger, he added.
Shinde was conferred the Commonwealth Public Leadership Award.
He said PM Modi described the 1.9 million British Indian community as a living bridge between the two nations, and added that 70,000 Maharashtrians living in the UK are a significant part of this bridge.
“Maharashtra is India’s major economic power house. Our territory and economy is bigger than many countries across the globe. It contributes 14 pc of India’s GDP and attracts 30 per cent of the FDI,” Shinde said.
Mumbai and London are two strong financial centres of the world, according to him.
“London’s strength in fintech can collaborate in Mumbai’s fintech centre. Scotland’s green energy expertise can complement Maharashtra green hydrogen project,” he said, adding that political democracy has no meaning without social justice.
He also impressed upon the ‘Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana’ through which financial assistance is directly transferred into the bank account of women beneficiaries, giving them financial independence.
He said the government’s goal is to make Maharashtra a USD one trillion economy by 2030.
Shinde was conferred with the prestigious ‘Statesmanship Award’ by the World Leadership Forum at the House of Commons. He was presented with the honour during the ‘Maharashtra-India-UK Dialogue’ international conference organised by the forum, an official release by his office said.
Shinde invited global investors and British businesses to partner in Maharashtra’s growth story by bringing “Green Capital” and advanced technology to the state.
“We want to build a new partnership for eco-friendly development by combining Maharashtra’s massive market, skilled workforce, and robust infrastructure with the UK’s green capital and technology,” Shinde said, adding that Maharashtra has set a goal to source 50 per cent of its power requirements from clean energy by 2030.
Invoking a collaborative spirit for global trade, he urged the British business community to leverage the India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with a new strategy — ‘Design in London and Manufacture in Maharashtra’.
Shinde said, “Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and I are working seamlessly as a team to take Maharashtra to new heights.” Refuting claims that investment MoUs remain on paper, Shinde noted that nearly 75 per cent of the agreements signed during the World Economic Forum at Davos have successfully translated into ground-level execution.
Shinde outlined major transformative infrastructure projects driving the state’s growth engine, including Hinduhrudaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg Vadhavan Port Atal Setu, Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor, Navi Mumbai International Airport, Nagpur-Goa Shaktipeeth Expressway, Konkan Expressway, and Konkan Coastal Road.
Stating that urban development was all about elevating living standards, he cited flagship initiatives like the Dharavi Redevelopment Project, the Thane Cluster Redevelopment Scheme, and the transformation of Mumbai’s historic chawls.
He invited British companies to capitalise on opportunities across electric vehicles, battery technology, green hydrogen, renewable energy, fintech, healthcare, and education, and also urged top UK universities to set up offshore academic centres and joint research initiatives in Maharashtra.
Speaking at an investor interaction in London, Shinde pitched for unifying global Marathi business talent.
He announced plans to set up a comprehensive Global Apex Body to bring together Marathi entrepreneurs, business leaders, and professionals spread across the world to contribute directly to Maharashtra’s economic advancement.
Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, India has transitioned from being categorised among the ‘Fragile Five’ economies a decade ago to standing tall as one of the top five global economies today, he said. PTI PR COR NP
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