14 July,2025 03:12 PM IST | Dubai | mid-day online correspondent
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav meets JITO Chairman Mukesh Vora in Dubai, discussing investment opportunities in Madhya Pradesh. Pic/X
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav held an "important" meeting on Monday with Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Emirates Airlines and the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, and Essa Sulaiman Ahmad, Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations for West Asia and the Indian Ocean at Emirates. This meeting took place on the second day of his visit to Dubai, reported by news agency ANI.
According to a post from the Chief Minister's Office on X, discussions primarily focused on strengthening aviation cooperation between India and the United Arab Emirates.
Furthermore, the meeting included detailed deliberations on improving aviation ties, with a particular emphasis on promoting direct flight services from Tier-2 cities such as Indore and Bhopal. The agenda also covered the development of a regional cargo hub in Central India and the exploration of opportunities in aviation training and Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) infrastructure.
The Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister's Office stated in its post, "Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav, during his Dubai visit, held an important bilateral meeting with Emirates Airlines and Dubai Civil Aviation Authority Chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum. During this, detailed discussions were held on strengthening aviation cooperation between India and the UAE."
The post further added, "During the meeting, deliberations took place on promoting direct flight services from Tier-2 cities like Indore and Bhopal, developing a regional cargo hub in Central India, and exploring opportunities for cooperation in aviation training and MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) infrastructure. Discussions also covered encouraging inbound tourism and the possibility of establishing a branch of the Emirates Aviation Academy in Madhya Pradesh."
Following the meeting, Essa Sulaiman Ahmad, Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations for West Asia and the Indian Ocean at Emirates, highlighted the potential synergies and investment opportunities, reported ANI.
He stated, "This was a terrific opportunity for us to meet with the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh... We know the synergies between Dubai and Madhya Pradesh... Absolutely, it was a very heartfelt meeting... I used to be in India for seven years, so this was quite an eye-opener to see the kind of investment and the vision that the Chief Minister has for the state, and absolutely looking at synergy where we can see where we take this partnership even further."
Meanwhile, Yadav's official visit to Dubai, UAE and to Spain is scheduled from July 13 to July 19, according to ANI.
The primary aim of this visit is to attract global investment to Madhya Pradesh, encourage technology sharing, and create new job opportunities under the initiative of "Global Dialogue 2025."
(With inputs from ANI)
