Barcelona [Spain], July 18 (ANI): India andSpainmaintain a robust economic and commercial connection, with bilateral trade reaching approximately USD 10 billion, statedRaghvendra Kumar Singh, Principal Secretary to Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, during a speech in Barcelona on Thursday.
"India and Spainmaintain a strong and prosperous economic and commercial relationship. The overall trade betweenSpainand India is approximately 10 billion dollars. There are 280 Spanish firms active in India and 90 Indian companies functioning inSpain," Singh said.
Emphasizing the possible effects of the continuing India-EU FreeTradeSingh mentioned, "We have numerous opportunities... through the India-EU trade relationship, which is expected to be finalized, I hope, by the end of this year, creating new prospects for Spanish businesses in India and Indian enterprises in"Spain."
Promoting Madhya PradeshAs an investment location, Singh mentioned that the centrally situated state offers significant potential across various industries.Madhya Pradeshis located in the center of India. It is known as the Central Provinces. In the past, it was called the Central Provinces. It is the second largest state in terms of area, fifth largest in terms of population, and has a population of 88 million. The population is 88 million. It has a much larger population thanSpain," he said.
"We are home to 2 million young people aged between 15 and 29. We rank as the second-largest producer of food grains in India and are the leading exporter of wheat in the country," he added.
Singh also highlighted the state's environmental advantages and experienced labor force. "We are likely the cleanest state in the whole country of India. We have 32 percent of forest coverage inMadhya Pradesh, which is approximately 12 percent of the total national forest area in India. When you wish to make an investment,Madhya Pradeshcan serve as a perfect location because we offer you chances across various sectors, and we do not restrict ourselves to just a few areas, allowing you to invest in numerous fields.
He added, "Our working population constitutes 47 percent, with 200,000 graduates entering the job market annually. We experience a very low dropout rate. We offer an excellent work-life balance and a high standard of living."
Highlighting the state's industrial setup, Singh stated, "We possess a large number of skilled workers, and a plentiful water supply for industries—over 1,000 million cubic meters at highly reasonable rates. We are a state with excess power generation, producing 31 gigawatts of electricity, with more than 20 percent coming from renewable sources—approximately 6 gigawatts at present."
He stated, "However, the Honorable Prime Minister has committed to generating 550 gigawatts of power by 2030,Madhya Pradeshhas also made a commitment that, starting from 6 gigawatts now, we aim to reach 33 gigawatts of renewable energy by 2030."
Continuing with this wider perspective on sustainable development, Chief MinisterMohan Yadav, during his trip toSpain, visited Mercabarna -- one of Europe's largest integrated wholesale food markets -- to examine models that could aid in the development of Mega Food Parks, agricultural export zones, and multi-modal logistics infrastructure inMadhya Pradesh.
In a post on X, MP CM Yadav mentioned that he participated in a conversation focused onMadhya PradeshTheir initiatives to develop integrated logistics facilities, agricultural export areas, and large food parks.
On the third day of theSpain visit under Madhya PradeshGlobal Dialogue 2025, Mercamadrid, one of Europe's biggest combined wholesale food markets, was inspected, along with conversations with its representatives. The talks centered aroundMadhya PradeshHis plan for establishing Mega Food Parks, agricultural export zones, and multi-modal logistics infrastructure. The smooth functioning of Mercamadrid is expected to become a historic example of cooperation for the state's agricultural industry," he mentioned in a post on X.
Yadav also highlighted the importance of a government-backed environment to shield farmers from falling prices during periods of high output, while also pointing out the opportunity for value-added processing to increase farmers' earnings and enhance export possibilities.
We are currently at Mercabarna inSpainA 250-acre campus where farmers not only vend their crops but also get assistance in handling excess harvests. We are optimistic that, as the irrigated area inMadhya PradeshAs production increases and farmers observe high crop outputs, we can implement a comparable framework. In this scenario, we have started ongoing initiatives to establish a favorable environment — a government-backed system that links different communities. When there is a surplus in supply, market prices usually decrease. To shield farmers from these price declines, we require systems that facilitate processing and enhance value where it is most essential," the MP CM stated.
Putting such a model into practiceMadhya Pradeshmight be a turning point — benefiting both farmers and the state's economy — creating strong business prospects inside India and in global markets," he added.
The MP Chief Minister will be remaining inSpainuntil July 19 as part of his trip. (ANI)