Eknath Shinde seeks deeper Maharashtra-U.K. economic ties at House of Lords event

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde received the ‘Commonwealth Public Leadership Recognition’ at an event held at the House of Lords in London on Wednesday (September 9, 2026), where he pitched greater Maharashtra-U.K. cooperation in fintech, green energy, green hydrogen, deep-tech, education and skill development.

Mr. Shinde invited British businesses to invest in Maharashtra and said Mumbai and London, as major financial centres, had considerable scope for deeper economic engagement. He reiterated the State government’s goal of making Maharashtra a $1 trillion economy by 2030.

Presenting Maharashtra as India’s industrial and financial powerhouse, Mr. Shinde said the State contributes nearly 14% of India’s GDP and attracts over 30% of the country’s Foreign Direct Investment. He cited projects including Vadhavan Port, the Samruddhi Expressway, Mumbai Trans Harbour Link and Mumbai Coastal Road as examples of the State’s infrastructure push.