Vadodara (Gujarat) [India], June 29 : Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Monday met Ireland's Consul General in Mumbai, Patrick Duffy, during the Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference in Vadodara and invited Irish industries and investors to explore investment and business opportunities in the state.
According to an official release, the meeting focused on strengthening the economic partnership between Gujarat and Ireland. Referring to the opportunities expected to emerge from the proposed India-European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA), the Chief Minister urged Irish businesses to leverage Gujarat's investment-friendly ecosystem.
The two sides also discussed enhancing cooperation in the areas of skill development, technology and sports.
During the meeting, Patrick Duffy expressed interest in participating in the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2027 and stated Ireland was keen to organise a country seminar to explore avenues for greater collaboration with Gujarat.
The Chief Minister suggested that the Irish delegation visiting for the summit should also visit the Kite Festival, the Statue of Unity and industrial sites across the state to gain a better understanding of Gujarat's cultural heritage and industrial development.
Chief Secretary Manoj Das, Additional Chief Secretary (Industries) Mamta Verma, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Sanjeev Kumar, Additional Principal Secretary Dr Vikrant Pandey, Science and Technology Department Secretary P. Bharati and other senior officials attended the meeting.