India Mission 2026:
Converting Strategic Relationships into Investment Delivery

Led by the Mayor of the West Midlands, the delegation engaged senior leadership across government, global corporates and industry bodies in Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Bangalore. The focus was on moving from relationship building to delivery, accelerating capital deployment, securing follow-on visits to the region and deepening long-term commercial partnerships.

India is one of the world’s fastest-growing major economies and a critical partner in the UK’s global trade strategy following the UK–India Free Trade Agreement. For the West Midlands, home to the UK’s most concentrated cluster of automotive engineering, battery R&D and advanced manufacturing capability, the alignment is structural.

During the mission, senior engagement with established investors, including Tata Group, reinforced ongoing collaboration across electrification, steel, energy, and communications, building on the region’s long-standing relationship with Jaguar Land Rover. In Bangalore, discussions with TVS Motor Company and Infosys focused on scaling advanced mobility, AI deployment and future skills partnerships linked to the region’s R&D base.

Alongside corporate engagement, the delegation progressed relationships with national industry bodies, including NASSCOM, FICCI and the Confederation of Indian Industry, with plans now advancing to bring senior Indian business leadership to the West Midlands in 2026.

This mission helped accelerate commercial outcomes from relationships that already underpin more than £3.5bn of Indian investment into the region over the past decade.

The mission began in Gujarat, where strong foundations were laid for partnerships across regeneration, innovation, sport, and culture. The similarities between our regions were clear – a deep heritage of innovation and enterprise. The delegation met with the Chief Minister of Gujarat, where meaningful discussions focused on priority growth sectors. Plans are now in motion to establish a formal partnership between the State of Gujarat and the West Midlands in the coming months.

Learnings from the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham 2022 were shared at the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex alongside Ahmedabad Municipality. As Ahmedabad will host the games in 2030, both cities align in viewing major sporting events as catalysts for regeneration, investment and long-term impact.

The mission’s spirit of shared ambition continued at GIFT City, where engagement with this dynamic, globally connected financial hub highlighted strong demand for talent, skills and applied research. Productive conversations are already progressing across our trade delegation.

Mumbai – India’s financial and creative powerhouse – demonstrated the scale and ambition of a city that backs its creative industries.

Highlights included an extraordinary visit to Yash Raj Film studios, where the delegation explored opportunities for collaboration across studios, freelancers and skills development, with plans already underway for the studio to visit the West Midlands in May.

The West Midlands delegation also met with Tata Group, the largest Indian investor in the region over the past decade; the Tata–Jaguar Land Rover partnership exemplifies modern UK–India industrial collaboration. Discussions focused on accelerating joint investment in technology, energy, steel, and communications. The mission highlighted India and the West Midlands’ strong alignment on advanced manufacturing, clean energy, electrification, resilient supply chains, and digital transformation.

Home to the UK’s most advanced automotive R&D ecosystem – including the highest concentration of battery and propulsion research and producer of one in three British-made cars – the West Midlands is the UK’s leading destination for Indian investment outside London. The delegation also connected with other prominent organisations, including the Confederation of Indian Industry, FICCI, and NASSCOM, with plans to bring the NASSCOM UK Forum to Birmingham.

The final stop for the delegation was Bangalore – a globally significant centre of technology, entrepreneurship and innovation.

Artificial intelligence is fast becoming one of the defining forces shaping future economies. The delegation’s visit to Infosys demonstrated the scale, sophistication and ambition of India’s technology ecosystem, reinforcing that it is the place for the West Midlands’ to build new strategic partnerships and position the region at the forefront of AI adoption and deployment.

The delegation also visited TVS Motor Company, a major investor in the West Midlands, whose investment in Norton Motorcycles demonstrates the potential UK–India collaboration in advanced manufacturing and next-generation mobility.

The West Midlands Mayoral Mission to India turned strategic relationships into real investment momentum, strengthening the West Midlands’ position as the UK’s leading destination for Indian FDI outside London. From ambition to action, the mission accelerated partnerships and bilateral growth.