Greater Manchester strengthens India ties

A delegation of representatives from the Manchester India Partnership (MIP) took part in a multi-city trade and tourism mission to bolter economic and cultural connections with the country.

The trip coincided with news that Greater Manchester would be home to a new Indian Consular presence, alongside the Prime Minister’s confirmation that  talks over a UK-India Free Trade Agreement will resume in 2025.

As part of the mission, presentations from Marketing Manchester, Manchester Airport and Manchester City were included as part of Visit Britain’s Destination Britain Middle East & Africa global showcase in Bengaluru to highlight the city-region’s tourism offer. A number of Greater Manchester businesses also participated in the Bengaluru Tech Summit, as part of the Department of Business and Trade AI and Semi-conductor trade mission.

The Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, who led the last major delegation to India in 2019, sent a video message to the reception outlining the city region’s strong commitment to growing closer to India.

Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy?Burnham, said:

“I have fond memories of my time in?India?in 2019, when I experienced first-hand so much of what this vibrant, welcoming country has to offer. That trip was significant because it saw us accelerate so many key projects, all aimed at capitalising on the strong synergies between Greater Manchester and?India.

“I am pleased to see so many of our partners in?India?this week and you have my full support in building ever closer ties.”

Harjinder Kang, His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for South Asia, said:

“I was delighted to welcome the Greater Manchester delegation on a multi-city tour of India.

“The Manchester India Partnership has played a key role in accelerating trade and investment between the two regions. From tech and innovation, to sports and education, we are seeing a remarkable convergence of opportunities between the city-region and India, which builds on our shared ambition of economic growth.”

There are nearly 540,000 people of Indian origin living in the North of England and more than 30 Indian businesses with a presence in the city region.

Since the formation of MIP, Greater Manchester has played host to a world-record Cricket World Cup fixture between India and Pakistan and unveiled a landmark Mahatma Gandhi statue in the centre of Manchester. Several strategic partnerships have also been established between universities in the city region – such as Bolton and Salford – and institutions in India.

Nearly seven years after being formed, the MIP has used its latest visit to reaffirm Greater Manchester’s commitment to forging ever-closer links with India.

MIP chair Simon Arora, former CEO of B&M Retail, said:

“There is so much common ground between Greater Manchester and India, and so many opportunities to collaborate for mutual benefit. That is why it is great to hear there will be an Indian Consul General in Manchester.

“We hope this latest visit will contribute to further commercial, cultural and educational partnerships being forged, all of which will cement the case for direct connectivity between the two destinations. That, in turn, can only serve to accelerate the flow of trade and ideas in both directions.”

Joe Manning, Managing Director at MIDAS, Manchester’s Inward Investment Agency said:

“Greater Manchester’s long-standing relationship with India continues to grow from strength to strength, built on a shared ambition for innovation and sustainable growth.

“The delegation represents a significant opportunity to further showcase why our city-region is the ideal UK destination for Indian businesses looking to expand internationally. With our mission being built on the strong foundations of partnership, we’ve established and created even more opportunities for collaboration that benefit both regions.”