Punjab’s Chief Minister undertook a series of foreign tours over the past two years, travelling to countries such as Germany, Belgium, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Canada, Italy and France with the stated aim of attracting large‑scale investment to the state. Each tour was promoted as a major opportunity to bring new industries, technology partnerships, and employment to Punjab. However, despite spending crores of rupees from the public exchequer on travel, accommodation, events, delegations and promotional campaigns, the state has seen no measurable economic benefit from these trips. What remains is a long trail of announcements, photo opportunities and promises that never translated into real projects on the ground.
The first major tour took place in April 2023, when the Chief Minister visited Germany and Belgium to meet industrial leaders and pitch Punjab as a manufacturing hub. The government publicised the trip heavily, claiming that several companies had shown interest in setting up units in the state. Yet, nearly a year later, not a single factory, partnership or investment agreement emerged from those meetings. In September 2023, the Chief Minister travelled to the United Kingdom to promote innovation and start‑up collaboration. Once again, the tour generated headlines but no tangible outcomes. No tech parks, start‑up clusters or educational partnerships materialised, and the state’s youth—who were promised new opportunities—saw no change in their prospects.
The pattern continued in December 2023 with a visit to the UAE, where the government claimed it would secure major investments in agriculture and infrastructure. Despite the high‑profile events and photo sessions, no UAE‑based company signed a binding agreement, and no new project was initiated in Punjab. In March 2024, the Chief Minister travelled to Canada to engage with the Punjabi diaspora, urging NRIs to invest in the state. The meetings were well‑attended, but they resulted only in speeches and social media posts. No NRI‑funded industrial or educational project was announced afterward.
The most recent tour in July 2024 took the Chief Minister to Italy and France to explore agro‑technology and tourism partnerships. Once again, the government claimed that Punjab would benefit from modern farming techniques and international tourism collaborations. But months later, there were no agreements, no technology transfers, and no tourism projects to show for the crores spent.
Across all these tours, Punjab spent an estimated ₹30–35 crore, yet the state received no new factories, no foreign‑funded infrastructure, no job‑creating industries, and no technology‑transfer agreements. The only visible outcomes were press conferences, promotional videos and social media campaigns. Meanwhile, Punjab continues to struggle with unemployment, drug abuse, farmer distress and declining industry—issues that require real solutions, not foreign sightseeing at public expense. The public is now asking why crores were spent without transparent reporting, why MoUs were announced but never implemented, and why no follow‑up action was taken after each tour. Punjab’s people deserve accountability, not empty promises.