NORTH OF ENGLAND UNITES FOR THE FIRST-EVER JOINT TRADE MISSION TO INDIA 

Published 15 July 2026 at 9:50am

•    Senior leaders from Northern regions to travel together to India for the first time under The Great North banner 

•    Mission is the UK’s first major regional response to the UK-India Free Trade Agreement which comes into force today (15 July 2026)

•    Visit aims to attract investment from India into the North and support Northern businesses looking to access the Indian market  

Senior leaders from across the North of England will travel together to India this October for the first time under The Great North banner to strengthen ties on trade, investment, innovation, culture and the visitor economy. 

The delegation will take place from 12 to 16 October 2026 and bring together civic and business leaders, academics and civic partners from Liverpool City Region, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, the North East, and Cheshire and Warrington. 

Announced today (15 July 2026) as the historic UK-India Free Trade Agreement comes into effect, the mission is the UK’s first joint mayoral-led mission to India and the first major regional response to the agreement, which is projected to increase annual bilateral trade by £25.5bn by 2040.

The mission will be delivered in partnership with the Department for Business and Trade and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and comes as DBT reports total UK-India trade reached £47.9bn in 2025, up 10% on the previous year.  

Northern Mayors will be joined by businesses, SMEs and universities from across the region to help bolster links, showcase the North’s economic assets and create new opportunities for trade, investment and academic collaboration.

Activity will include an opening event under The Great North banner to showcase the collective North, with the British High Commission, New Delhi, sector-focused engagement and cultural and sporting activity showcasing the breadth of what the North has to offer. 

Events are also planned with Indian travel trade partners to strengthen visitor economy links between India and the North of England. Working with Visit Britain, LVEPs and tourism industry partners from across the North will attend to showcase destinations, attract new visitors and build relationships with one of the world's fastest-growing outbound travel markets.

India is an increasingly important visitor market for the UK, with more than 600,000 visits made each year. Visitor numbers are forecast to reach 1 million by 2030, with visitor spend reaching £1 billion, creating significant opportunities for destinations across the North of England.

The Great North represents a combined economy worth over £340 billion, home to 16 million people and 1.1 million businesses, with shared strengths across advanced manufacturing, life sciences, digital technology, clean energy, financial and professional services, and creative industries. 

India is one of the world’s fastest-growing major economies, with growth forecast at 6.5% for 2026 and beyond. 

The North of England and India already have deep and growing ties, with nearly 540,000 people of Indian origin living across the region.

Indian companies have invested over £1bn in the North West alone, supporting more than 6,700 jobs according to the Confederation of Indian Industry.

The mission builds on the inaugural India North England Opportunity Summit, held in Manchester in March 2026, which brought together more than 300 delegates from business, government and civic life. 

The event marked one year since the opening of the Consulate General of India in Manchester, which has played a key role in strengthening economic, business and diplomatic ties between India and the North of England. 

Chair of The Great North and North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said:

“The Great North was created to do something the North of England has rarely had the opportunity to do before: come together with a single voice and tell our story to the world. This mission to India is a powerful example of that vision in action. It is the North taking control of its own destiny, coming together to build relationships, attract investment and create opportunities that will benefit our people, businesses and communities for generations to come.

“What makes this partnership especially meaningful is that the connections between the North and India are about far more than economics. They can be seen in the communities that enrich our towns and cities, in the students and entrepreneurs who move between our countries, in our shared love of cricket, and increasingly in the creative, digital and screen sectors where Northern and Indian talent are finding new ways to work together.

“By bringing Northern leaders, businesses and institutions together in India, this mission will help unlock new investment and back SMEs to export and grow. It will help create good jobs, drive economic growth and ensure that the benefits of international trade and investment are felt in towns and cities right across the North.

“Together, we have an opportunity to write the next chapter of that story and ensure the North is recognised around the world as a place that is confident, outward-looking and ready to lead.”

Business and Trade Secretary Peter Kyle said:

“We want the benefits of our ambitious trade deals to be felt in every part of the country.

“It is fantastic to see Northern leaders immediately seizing the opportunities that our deal with India, coming into effect in July, will offer, and communities should be excited for the real investment, jobs and growth coming to their area.”

Mayor of York and North Yorkshire David Skaith said: 

“The North is stronger when we work together, and we’re ready to take the commitment we made and put it into action with a joint trade mission to the world’s fastest growing economy. 

“We will use this visit to India to showcase the combined strength of the Great North and how York and North Yorkshire can bring our world-class research and education, our thriving manufacturing sector and our hard-working farmers to the table. 

“We are already building the connections in our region with the University of York opening a new campus in Mumbai next year, but we are ready to do more. By working together with Mayors across the Great North, we ensure that we all benefit from the UK’s evolving deal with India.”

Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram said:

“As mayor, my job is simple: to bring investment, jobs and opportunities to the Liverpool City Region. And that means making the case for our area wherever those opportunities exist.

"We’ve always been an outward-looking region. For generations, our success has been built on trade, innovation and connections with the rest of the world. That’s part of who we are.

“The new trade deal between the UK and India creates real opportunities for places like ours, but opportunities don’t just land on your doorstep. You have to get out there, build relationships and make the case for your area. If we’re not in the room, somebody else will be.

“The Liverpool City Region has a fantastic story to tell. We’re leading the way in areas like life sciences, advanced manufacturing, clean energy and digital innovation, with world-class universities, ambitious businesses and a workforce full of talent and potential.

“This mission is to help open doors for businesses, universities and organisations from across our region, helping them build and deepen connections, attract investment and create opportunities that can benefit people back home for years to come.

“And by working alongside our partners across the North, we’re showing the scale of what we have to offer. When we come together, we make a much stronger case for investment, jobs and growth than any of us can alone.

“People expect me to fight for every opportunity that can bring benefits back to our communities. That’s what I’ll be doing in India.”

Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin said:

“Our ties with India run deep, stretching across our universities, businesses, communities and cricket clubs. It’s a friendship that means a great deal to our region, and it’s one we're proud to keep building.

“Devolution has handed the North of England a once-in-a-generation chance to be stronger than the sum of its parts. By standing together, we can show the world just how Great the North is, championing our region abroad to put more money in people's pockets back home.

"I've seen first-hand what our trade missions can deliver – multimillion-pound investments in key sectors, and thousands of good jobs for local people. This October, we’ll be banging the drum for the North and building a stronger, better off West Yorkshire for the long-term.”

South Yorkshire's Mayor Oliver Coppard said: 

“The Great North trade mission to India is a chance to bring investment into our communities and turn it into decent, well-paid jobs for people here. By going to India together as the North of England, we’re showing the sheer scale of what we’ve got to offer and making a clear case for why investors should back our regions.

“The UK’s Free Trade Agreement with India is a significant breakthrough and it’s right that South Yorkshire grabs these opportunities with both hands. If we get this mission right, it will mean better links with the world’s fastest growing economy so we can create stronger local economies, and a better deal for our communities across South Yorkshire and the wider North.”

Chair of Cheshire and Warrington Combined Authority, Cllr Louise Gittins said: “With more than 50 India-linked businesses supporting over 4,000 jobs and generating more than £10 billion in annual turnover across the region, we are starting from strength. India is already one of Cheshire and Warrington's most significant international economic partners but we can make more of the relationship.  

“That is why we are delighted to be joining businesses and Northern partners on this trade mission which forms part of the Combined Authority's wider ambition to promote Cheshire and Warrington as a leading destination for investment, innovation and business growth. 

“The help and support provided by Indian owned and backed businesses across the region has been invaluable in helping us develop our approach to ensure we are best placed to make the most of the opportunities. 

“Our role is to help businesses access international markets and opportunities so they can build and grow, as well as supporting our major companies to secure more significant investment. Together this will help us to grow our economy and deliver the jobs our communities need". 

Consul General of India in Manchester, Mrs Vishakha Yaduvanshi said: 

"We are delighted to welcome the Great North Mayoral Delegation to India this October. The visit reflects the growing interest on both sides in building a stronger relationship between India and the North of England.

“The opening of the Consulate General of India in Manchester was itself a clear indication of India’s commitment to engaging more closely with the region. Over the past year, we have worked steadily with local authorities, businesses, universities and other partners across the North. The India–North England Opportunity Summit was an important step in bringing these relationships together and identifying practical areas for cooperation.

“The India–UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement now gives this engagement fresh momentum. There is considerable scope for collaboration between the North of England and Indian states and cities in areas such as advanced manufacturing, technology, textiles, education, clean energy, sport and culture. The strong Indian diaspora in the region adds further depth to this partnership.

“We hope the delegation’s visit will help turn this potential into concrete projects, investment and long-term institutional links. The Consulate General of India in Manchester will extend its full support to the delegation and will continue to work closely with partners in India and across the North of England".