7,800 crore FDI flows into MP in two years

Indore: Madhya Pradesh has attracted foreign direct investment (FDI) of around Rs 7,800 crore over the past two years, with six global companies from the UK, Canada, USA and South Korea moving ahead with land allotment and early-stage execution across five districts. The investments span sectors such as pharmaceuticals, food processing, renewable energy, leather and medical devices, with projects coming up in Pithampur, Ujjain, Agar Malwa, Narmadapuram and Gwalior. The projects are expected to generate over 3,000 jobs and are likely to support ancillary industries, logistics demand and local supply chains in these regions. Major investments include UK-based Haleon with Rs 3,000 crore in pharmaceuticals at Pithampur, McCain Foods from Canada committing Rs 3,800 crore in food processing at Agar Malwa, and US-based TruAir Splitwaters investing Rs 500 crore in renewable energy at Narmadapuram. South Korean firms Boo Young Scheicorp and Effibar, along with UK-based Clinisupplies, are also setting up units in leather and medical devices segments. Industry observers said such investments could have a multiplier effect on regional economies by creating demand for local vendors, improving farm-to-industry linkages and strengthening export-oriented manufacturing. McCain's project, for instance, is expected to boost agri-processing and create a market for potato growers in the region. Chandramauli Shukla, managing director, MPIDC, said the focus is on execution of projects at identified locations. "Our priority is to ensure that investments translate into operational units. These projects have moved to the stage where companies have committed capital and initiated groundwork at specific sites," he said. Experts said the spread of investments across sectors helps diversify the state's industrial base.The state is also working on plug-and-play industrial zones with ready infrastructure and pre-approved clearances to reduce project timelines, which could help faster commissioning of projects and improve industrial activity at the local level.