Kolkata/UNI: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday flew to Dubai on her way to Spain to seek possible investments from the NRIs as well as the foreign investors in trade, commerce, and businesses linking West Bengal, the gateways of eastern and northeastern states of India, as well as the three neighbouring nations of Bangladesh, Nepal, and Bhutan.

Kolkata will host the 7th edition of the Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS) on November 21–22, 2023.

"After the Dubai halt, I will fly for Madrid and then to Barcelona on a train, where I will meet the investors to invite them for investment in West Bengal," Banerjee told the reporters this morning at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose international airport (DUM DUM) before boarding the flight for Dubai.

She said five years ago she got an invitation from a Spanish delegation in Kolkata to visit their country.

The delegation from Spain came to take part in the Kolkata International Book Fair.

She also said a business conference would be held in Dubai, where she would take part in seeking investments from the United Arab Emirates and the West Asian nations.

In a letter to Banerjee on Monday, Governor C V Ananda Bose wished her good luck on her trip to Spain.

West Bengal has been rapidly transforming itself into an economic powerhouse. With a combination of strategic geographical advantages, proactive government policies, skilled human resources, and a vibrant business environment, West Bengal has emerged as a key player in India's economic growth story.

It is among the country's leading exporters, with 12 percent of the country's leather and 10 percent of its iron and steel exports.

MSMEs form the vital base of the industrial pyramid, and West Bengal has the country's second-highest number of MSMEs (about 90 lakh units), which accounts for 14 percent of India's MSMEs.

Banerjee's 11-day foreign visit is happening after five years, and the chief minister is expected to return on September 23.

Some of her cabinet ministers also accompanied him, along with a representative from Mohun Bagan and East Bengal.

Former India cricket captain and BCCI president Sourav Ganguly is also one of the invitees to join Banerjee directly in Madrid.