Senior leaders from across the North of England are set to travel to India under a shared banner to deepen links on trade, investment and culture.
Travelling under The Great North brand, the delegation will visit India from October 12 to 16 to promote the North’s economic strengths in advanced manufacturing, life sciences, and clean energy.
The visit will also focus on fostering collaboration in digital technology, financial services, creative industries and tourism.
The trade mission comes as the historic UK-India Free Trade Agreement comes into force, projected to boost annual bilateral trade by £25.5 billion by 2040.
Kim McGuinness, chair of The Great North and North East Mayor, 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.”
The delegation will include civic and business leaders, academics, and regional partners from Liverpool City Region, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, York and North Yorkshire, the North East, and Cheshire and Warrington.
It will be the UK’s first joint mayoral-led mission to India and the first major regional response to the new trade agreement.
The delegation will be supported by the Department for Business and Trade and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
Events will include sector-focused engagements and cultural and sporting activities.
There will also be sessions designed to strengthen visitor economy links with India.
Tourism industry partners from across the North will work with VisitBritain and Indian travel trade representatives to promote northern destinations and attract new visitors.
India is already a key visitor market for the UK, with more than 600,000 trips made annually.
Projections suggest this could reach one million visits by 2030, with associated spending expected to hit £1 billion.
David Skaith, mayor of York and North Yorkshire, 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.”
The Great North brand represents a combined economy worth more than £340 billion, encompassing 16 million people and 1.1 million businesses.
Existing links between the North and India are already strong, with nearly 540,000 people of Indian origin living in the region.
Indian companies have invested more than £1 billion in the North West alone, supporting more than 6,700 jobs.
Steve Rotheram, mayor of the Liverpool City Region, 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.”
The mission builds on the momentum of the India North England Opportunity Summit, held in Manchester in March 2026.
This summit marked the first anniversary of the Consulate General of India opening in Manchester.
The office has played a key role in deepening diplomatic and economic ties between India and the North.
Tracy Brabin, mayor of West Yorkshire, said: “Our ties with India run deep, stretching across our universities, businesses, communities and cricket clubs.
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“It’s a friendship that means a great deal to our region, and it’s one we’re proud to keep building.”
The Consul General of India in Manchester, Vishakha Yaduvanshi, welcomed the delegation and said the visit reflects growing interest in closer ties between India and the North of England.
Mrs Yaduvanshi said: “We hope the delegation’s visit will help turn this potential into concrete projects, investment and long-term institutional links.”
