West Midlands announces 'A mission to seize the moment' to India during the Year of the Free Trade Agreement
- The UK's Mayoral-led mission to India – the first of 2026 – to strengthen economic and cultural ties between West Midlands and Indian subregions.
- Trade mission to Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Bengaluru from 23rd to 27th February follows recent signing of UK-India Free Trade Agreement.
- Official trade mission partners include Aston University, Birmingham City University (BCU), energy provider E.ON, GEDU Global Education, University of Birmingham and University of Warwick.
BIRMINGHAM, England, Feb. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- From 23rd to 27th February 2026, Richard Parker, Mayor of the UK's West Midlands region is set to lead a strategic trade mission to Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Bengaluru, building on the historic UK-India Free Trade Agreement signed in July 2025.
The mayoral-led mission to India – the first from the UK in 2026 – aims to strengthen economic and cultural 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 promoting new job creation 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 partners include Aston University, Birmingham City University (BCU), energy provider E.ON, GEDU Global Education, University of Birmingham and University of Warwick.
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 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.
The West Midlands has a uniquely strong cultural relationship with India, through its 'living bridge' of 276,000 ethnic Indians that live and work in the region. 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 number of visits from Indian tourists to the region has grown by more than 20 per cent over the last decade and Indian visitors also spend more in the West Midlands than any English region outside of London, valuing experiences such as world-class cricket at Edgbaston and Birmingham's premium retail and dining scenes.
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.
Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, 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, said:
"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."
Further commentary from the delegation:
Professor Aleks Subic, Aston University Vice-Chancellor and CEO, said:
"Aston University has a long-term commitment to education, skills, and research partnerships with India, spanning UK study pathways, high-quality transnational education in India, and collaboration with our partner universities and research institutes.
"As a central partner in the Birmingham Knowledge Quarter, Aston is also helping attract significant international investment into Birmingham and the wider West Midlands.
"This mission is a timely opportunity to showcase Birmingham as a global innovation city and to deepen collaboration with Indian industry, researchers, and policymakers on shared global challenges."
Professor David Mba, Vice-Chancellor of BCU, said:
"For Birmingham City University this mission is about strengthening mutually beneficial economic, cultural and educational links between India and the West Midlands.
"We are proud of our Birmingham roots but are always striving to reach beyond, including the deep ties we have in South Asia – thousands of our students are either from India or part of the local Indian diaspora.
"This visit will give BCU new opportunities to advance the implementation of our ambitious 2030 Strategy, including the chance to deepen collaborative research on sustainable cities and cultural exchanges through our Royal Birmingham Conservatoire."
Vijay Tank, Chief Commercial Officer at E.ON Energy Infrastructure Solutions, said:
"Local energy systems are vital in delivering the benefits of the energy transition where they are most needed. Tailoring solutions to specific areas can drive economic growth, create local jobs and skills, and attract investment and innovation where needed.
"Whether it's our Net Zero Training Academy equipping apprentices with sustainable tech skills; providing batteries that cut bills for vulnerable customers, or our strategic partnership to accelerate Coventry's clean energy future, at E.ON we are already delivering some of those very real benefits and we're well placed to champion the Mayor's ambitions for the West Midlands as well as supporting investors in the region when it comes to navigating any energy challenges."
Kevin McCole, Managing Director at GEDU Global Education, said:
"This delegation is important as India matters to the West Midlands and the West Midlands matters to India. There are strong people to people links, strong economic ties across a range of innovation-rich sectors, and deep education partnerships. We're proud to support the Mayor's mission which will bring more investment to the West Midlands, increase two-way trade, and strengthen our education partnerships."
The Rt Hon Greg Clark, Executive Chair of the University of Warwick's Innovation District, said:
"The University of Warwick has a long history of strong ties with India - from the students on campus, to our business partnerships, to our research collaborations.
"As we deepen the cultural, economic, and educational ties between Warwick, the West Midlands, and India, we will accelerate innovation, develop talent, and drive growth that will benefit us all.
"Working with the West Midlands Growth Company and our partners in India, Warwick looks forward to creating a better world together."
Notes to editors:
West Midlands Growth Company
The West Midlands Growth Company helps the region make its mark nationally and internationally. Its primary purpose is to attract investment, jobs, visitors and businesses to the West Midlands. The West Midlands Growth Company focuses on the WMCA geography of Greater Birmingham and Solihull, Coventry and Warwickshire, and the Black Country.
Once the powerhouse of the industrial revolution, the West Midlands has evolved into a world-class and highly sought-after international business destination, with an economy worth £117bn. Situated at the heart of the UK, the region is home to three major cities (Birmingham, Coventry, Wolverhampton) and four thriving boroughs, which come together to form one of Europe's most dynamic and diverse metropolitan clusters.
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