Bhopal, July 18 (UNI) Asserting that Madhya Pradesh is rapidly progressing towards becoming a world-class hub for research and innovation, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav today proposed academic and research collaborations between premier institutions of Madhya Pradesh—such as IIT Indore and IISER Bhopal—and universities in Barcelona.
The CM said this on the third day of his ongoing Spain visit, where he held a meeting with Jaume Duch Guillot, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Government of Catalonia, in Barcelona.
During the meeting, an agreement was finalised to launch joint tourism campaigns in Europe to promote Madhya Pradesh’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites—Sanchi, Khajuraho and Bhimbetka.
Yadav also proposed strengthening cultural exchanges through performing arts, cinema, literature and museums.
Chief Minister discussed potential partnerships with organizations such as the FC Barcelona Foundation for programs focused on sports, leadership, and life skills.
Yadav invited Catalonia’s leading companies in the fields of food processing, textiles and renewable energy to invest in Madhya Pradesh and explore avenues for technological collaboration.
Highlighting the state’s new industrial policy, robust logistics network and dynamic youth workforce, he emphasised that this is the ideal time for European companies to consider Madhya Pradesh as a promising investment destination.
Yadav proposed technical collaboration in areas such as smart cities, green buildings, and urban transport, drawing upon Catalonia’s expertise.
He also suggested forming a joint working group between the two governments to identify and implement key collaborative projects.
Jaume Duch Guillot, emphasised the need for strong and strategic cooperation between India and the European Union.
Guillot stated that the world needs to be re-established on the foundation of international rules.
He noted that in this context, the role of the World Trade Organization (WTO) should remain as significant in the future as it has been in the past.
Defining India and the European Union as two regional powers, Guillot emphasised the importance of taking concrete steps towards closer cooperation on multilateral issues.
