The West Midlands Leads Strategic Trade Mission to India to Build on UK-India Free Trade Agreement
The West Midlands is leading a strategic trade mission to India this week to convert last year’s UK-India Free Trade Agreement into real outcomes; securing investment, growing exports and deepening long-term economic and cultural ties.
The two markets have strong economic links, with India representing the UK’s second largest source of investment projects for six consecutive years and the West Midlands representing the UK’s largest recipient of FDI projects from India outside London. The West Midlands has a uniquely strong relationship with India, through its ‘living bridge’ of 276,000 ethnic Indians that live and work in the region.
The mission will take place from 22nd to 27th February 2026, with the West Midlands Delegation touring Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Bengaluru, meeting with business leaders and government officials and building on the historic UK-India Free Trade Agreement signed in July 2025.
As the first outbound mission from the UK in 2026, the West Midlands Mayoral Mission to India aims to strengthen economic ties between the two markets and forge valuable partnerships for the benefit of the region’s universities, businesses and communities. It will also deepen political engagement with key national and state-level leaders, reinforcing the West Midlands’ role as a trusted long-term partner for India.
As well as safeguarding existing investment from employment-generating business allies, such as Tata Group, the mission aims to affirm the region – including the flagship West Midlands Investment Zone – as an advantageous location for innovative Indian businesses looking to expand. It will also facilitate strategic engagement with Indian travel trade agents and tour operators, cement cultural ties and celebrate cultural exchange, as India gears up to host the 2030 centenary Commonwealth Games.
Led by Mayor Richard Parker, the delegation of West Midlands business, academic and political leaders will also include 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. The official trade mission sponsors include Aston University, Birmingham City University (BCU), energy provider E.ON, GEDU Global Education, University of Birmingham and University of Warwick.
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.
– Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands
The West Midlands Growth Company (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. These include visitor economy-focused roundtables with VisitBritain in Mumbai and Bengaluru; a roundtable with India technology trade association NASSCOM, following its Technology and Leadership Forum; a roundtable on Urban Transformation and Smart Cities with the Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority and an event on AI Skilling & the Future of Work, with the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore.
In addition to the great number of FDI projects from India, the number of visits from Indian tourists to the region has grown by more than 20 per cent over the last decade and Indian visitors spend more in the West Midlands than any English region outside of London.
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.
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.
– Harjinder Kang, His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner to South Asia & Deputy High Commissioner to Western India
Follow the progress of the trade mission and more at investwestmidlands.com/india