UP set to become a manufacturing hub as French giants have big plans for investments in the state

Yogi Adityanath led Uttar Pradesh is emerging as a favourite destination of many foreign companies who want to set up a manufacturing unit in India. After American (Microsoft) and German (a footwear company) companies set up offices/manufacturing plants in the state, now it seems to be the turn of France. Thales Group – a French tech giant which designs and builds electric systems, is collaborating with Kanpur-based firm – MKU to manufacture night vision devices for Indian armed forces.

“Virtually opened #Thales India HQs in Noida. 6 storeys, 1100 employees with state of art green building. Was delighted to hear the views of Ambassador of France to India Mr Emmanuel Lenain in building a relationship with #UP,” Uttar Pradesh Cabinet Minister Sidharth Nath Singh tweeted.

“Thales has proposed to make night vision devices for the armed forces in association with Kanpur-based defence company MKU and work is under progress over the proposal,” said Singh in a statement issued after the event.

Also, the French ambassador to India, Emmanuel Lenain will be meeting UP CM on his two-day visit to Lucknow to promote the bilateral ties. Speaking in a video message from La Martiniere College, he said, “I am very happy to be in this wonderful city of Lucknow today and tomorrow to discover the rich heritage and to promote bilateral cooperation. UP and France have a very long history dating back to the 18th century.”

“During my meeting with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, we will be trying to promote new partnerships. UP being the most populous and one of the youngest states in India, we expect much more students coming from UP in French schools, colleges and universities. That’s the message I will carry tomorrow at the IIM. We also want more business to come to UP,” he added.

In the last few months, Uttar Pradesh has emerged as the top investment destination; companies from the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, Canada, Germany, and South Korea have shown interest in setting up their manufacturing units/corporate offices in the state and have proposed investment worth 45,000 crore rupees which will create 1.35 lakh jobs in the state. The government is arranging land for these companies and many of them have already been allotted plots required to set up factories and offices.

“In 6 months, 326 plots have been allotted for investment projects worth Rs 6,700 crore. This has attracted investors from all over the world to UP,” said The Infrastructure & Industrial Development Commissioner (IIDC) Alok Tandon.

The BJP-led Uttar Pradesh has the existing capacity to replace China as the ‘factory of the world’ with a population of 22 crores and young demography. With the outbreak of Coronavirus and rising anger towards China, the companies of developed nations that have manufacturing units in China are looking for other avenues.

The UP government has shown its most proactive approaches in the last few weeks to attract these companies and this has resulted in ongoing talks with many foreign companies over shifting manufacturing units to the state, some of which have already pledged investment.

South Korean electronics majors agreed to set up manufacturing units in Uttar Pradesh and the state officials held a webinar with 100 US firms like Adobe, Boston Scientific, and UPS to shift their units from Shanghai to Noida, which is already a known popular IT hub.

UP is one of the most efficiently administered parts of the country and the ‘rule of law’ prevails in the state. Therefore, the industrialists have no qualms about over-investing in the state, which is not just being governed efficiently but the government is also providing various incentives for investment.

The Yogi government has been proactive in dealing with the Coronavirus threat and has already set up committees to assess the financial and social impact of lockdown on 11 sectors – industry, construction, revenue, labour, education, agriculture, social welfare, rural development, urban affairs, water, and handicapped welfare. Yogi must be applauded for transforming the state from a nightmare for industrialists to heaven for law-abiding companies.