2 min readChandigarhJan 30, 2026 05:49 PM IST

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann will be leading a delegation of two dozen officials to the Netherlands and Czech Republic from February 7 to invite investments.

Mann will be accompanied by Industries Minister Sanjeev Arora, Chief Secretary KAP Sinha and other officers for the week-long trip.

This comes a fortnight after the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) denied political clearance to Mann and Arora for their trip to UK and Israel.

Sources said that while the MEA had denied political clearance to the government delegation in January, the government has received a “positive response” for his forthcoming trip. Even though a written clearance from MEA is awaited, a source said that the Indian Embassy in Netherlands is already in the process of organising meetings of the CM for extending invite for investing in Punjab.

“With India and EU signing Free Trade Agreement, Punjab will stand to benefit. Light engineering, textile, farmers, sports good industries can be the real winners. Our MSME can match the requirements of European companies who are looking for a base to settle the cost matrix. This will be a real opportunity for Punjab based MSME,” the source said.

Before the Netherlands trip, the CM will also lead a delegation to Mumbai on February 3 and 4.

Mann had led the delegation to Japan and South Korea from December 1 to 8 and held several meetings with investors in both the countries and invited them for 6th Progressive Punjab Investors’ Summit scheduled from March 13-15, 2026. For the Japan and South Korea trip, the MEA had given political clearance.

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Kanchan Vasdev

Kanchan Vasdev is a Senior Assistant Editor in The Indian Express’ Punjab bureau. She is a highly experienced journalist with 22 years of expertise covering high-stakes politics, governance, and social issues in Northern India.

Professional Background
Role: Primary reporter covering the Punjab Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), government policies, and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leadership in the state.

Experience: She previously worked with The Tribune and has played a key role in launching various city editions.

Special Projects:

Abandoned Brides: Authored a monograph on brides abandoned by NRIs as part of the Prabha Dutt Memorial Fellowship.

Environment: Worked as a Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) fellow, focusing on the pollution levels in the Satluj river.

Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025)
Her recent reporting focuses on the legislative strategies and political maneuvers of the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government:

1. Legislative & Governance Standoffs
“Punjab govt advances special Assembly session to pass resolution against VB-G RAM G Bill” (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on the state’s move to block the Centre’s “Viksit Bharat” mission, which the state claims will undermine MGNREGA.

“Punjab govt doubles down on special sessions, sixth in January” (Dec 19, 2025): Detailing the AAP government’s use of special sessions as a legislative tool amid tensions with the Governor.

“Punjab asks ‘VIP teachers’ working near Chandigarh to go back to border districts” (Dec 16, 2025): Reporting on CM Mann’s move to end the practice of influential teachers avoiding postings in remote areas.

2. Political Analysis & Rural Polls
“Punjab rural polls: Why Akalis are likened to dinosaurs in Punjab” (Dec 19, 2025): Analyzing CM Bhagwant Mann’s rhetoric against the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) following local body elections.

“AAP claims win in 78% Punjab zila parishads as counting continues” (Dec 18, 2025): Breaking down the results of the 2025 rural elections.

“Rahul Gandhi and Sidhu alike, says Bhagwant Mann” (Dec 13, 2025): Covering the CM’s critique of the Congress leadership.

3. Law Enforcement & Bureaucracy
“Suspended Punjab IPS officer Ravjot Kaur Grewal awaits reinstatement” (Dec 10, 2025): Investigative reporting on the bureaucratic red tape involving the Election Commission and the state government.

“Punjab declines to give parole to Amritpal Singh” (Nov 27, 2025): Detailing the state government’s refusal to grant parole to the radical preacher and sitting MP.

4. Welfare & Economy
“Punjab government’s plan to add more freebies to ‘atta-dal’ scheme hits funds roadblock” (Dec 4, 2024): An analysis of the fiscal challenges facing the state’s flagship food security program.

“Mann leads Punjab delegation to Japan and South Korea for investor outreach” (Dec 2, 2025).

Signature Beat
Kanchan Vasdev is known for her insider access to Punjab’s political executive. Her writing provides deep insights into how state policies are formulated and the friction points between the state government and central authorities. Her dual expertise in environment and law allows her to report on complex issues like the “Farmhouse Policy” (Dec 18, 2025) and river pollution with a unique policy-oriented lens.

X (Twitter): @kanchan99 … Read More

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