Madrid [Spain], July 17 (ANI): Indian Ambassador to Spain, Dinesh K Patnaik, expressed delight at the visit of Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav to the European country and highlighted how it is important for the Indian states to have interactions abroad and meet investors to see the opportunities available.

Speaking to ANI on the sidelines of the 'Invest in Madhya Pradesh Business Forum', Ambassador Patnaik highlighted that some of the states in India are even bigger than some nations around the world.

'The whole idea is for the states in India to try and see how the world is and to see how the linkages can happen between the states in India and the rest of the world. Some of our states are bigger than some nations. Spain has only 47 million (population), Madhya Pradesh has around 80 million. It is very good for states in India to travel abroad to meet investors, business people and politicians to see what opportunities are available,' Patnaik said.

Further, he emphasised that the visit of CM Mohan Yadav has been very good and the state has a lot to offer.

'His (MP CM Mohan Yadav) visit has been very good. Madhya Pradesh has a lot to offer. Spain is very interested in India. The interest started in the last 3-4 years, which has gone up rapidly. Today, we have crossed 10 billion USD in bilateral trade, but more than trade, the investment opportunities are very high,' Patnaik emphasised.

He highlighted that Spain is looking to invest in renewable energy, mining, agriculture, agrifoods, IT, and gaming.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav is on a visit to Spain.

On Wednesday, he visited the headquarters of Spain's top football league, La Liga, in Madrid and reiterated the state government's commitment to enhancing sports infrastructure, especially for the youth interested in football. During his visit, Yadav met senior La Liga officials and discussed potential avenues of cooperation in the areas of sports development and youth training.

Yadav is currently on the second leg of his two-nation tour. He reached the Spanish capital after completing a three-day visit to the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday.

According to a post on X by the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister's Office (CMO), Yadav met senior La Liga officials and discussed possible cooperation in sports and youth development. The discussions covered a range of topics, including infrastructure support, grassroots development, and football training.

'Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav, during his visit to Madrid, Spain, visited the La Liga office and held discussions with senior officials to explore collaboration in sports and youth development. The discussions focused on football training, grassroots development, and infrastructure support in Madhya Pradesh. This visit reflects the state's vision to empower youth through global sports partnerships,' the MP CMO stated on X.

Yadav will remain in Spain until July 19. During his stay, he is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with India's Ambassador to Spain, Dinesh K Patnaik, and explore business and investment opportunities in Madhya Pradesh. He will also take part in a leadership dialogue, interact with business forums in Madrid and Barcelona, meet members of the Indian community, and go on an industry tour. (ANI)