Trade mission to India could provide 'huge boost' to West Midlands economy

West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker is leading a six-day delegation to Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Bengaluru, with the aim of building on the UK-India Free Trade Agreement signed in July 2025 until August 27.

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As well as strengthening existing ties and safeguarding investment, the mission aims to showcase the region to even more business as well as boosting tourism.

As well as Mr Parker, the delegation includes Dr Julie Nugent, CEO at Coventry City Council, Prof. David Mba, Vice-Chancellor at Birmingham City University and Greg Clark, Executive Chair of University of Warwick Innovation District, alongside senior representatives from the West Midlands Growth Company (WMGC) – the official investment promotion agency for the UK’s West Midlands region.

WMGC – in collaboration with the India Global Forum and Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce – has organised a series of events and meetings with senior figures from Indian businesses and institutions.

These include multinational manufacturer Tata Motors, multinational technology company Infosys, motorcycle manufacturer TVS Motors and clean energy company Atri Energy Transition.

The West Midlands delegation will also host an event in Ahmedabad focused on “The Commonwealth Legacy”, with the city set to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games and will host a number of roundtable events bringing together key industry bodies and intermediaries.

Around 276,000 ethnic Indians live and work in the region while the two markets have strong economic links.

The region is already home to some of India’s biggest companies, including Tata Group, TVS, Infosys, Hexaware Technologies, Enzen Global, Suprajit Group, State Bank of India, Microland, and more recently, Firstsource and Mahindra.

Visits from Indian tourists has grown by more than 20 per cent over the last decade with visitors spending more in the West Midlands than any English region outside of London.

Mr Parker said: “The West Midlands and India already share real strengths in manufacturing and automotive, in digital tech and in clean energy.

“That gives us a solid foundation to turn last year’s trade deal into something that delivers here at home.

“We’ve built a strong trading relationship with India over many years, rooted in trust and deep cultural ties across our communities.

“This mission is about taking that further – growing exports from West Midlands firms, attracting new investment into our towns and cities, and bringing more visitors to our region.

“If we get this right, it means good jobs for local people, stronger businesses and more money going back into people’s pockets across the West Midlands.”

Harjinder Kang, His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner to South Asia & Deputy High Commissioner to Western India, added: “The economic partnership between the UK and India is at an all-time high following the signing of the landmark trade deal last year.

“The Mayor of West Midlands’ visit to India is another strong testament to our ever-strengthening collaboration.

“Besides reinforcing the growing contribution of the West Midlands to the UK-India partnership, this visit will help businesses from both sides to gear-up to take advantage of the deal which will boost growth by adding billions of pounds across both economies.”