A delegation of senior figures from the Manchester India Partnership (MIP) undertook a strategic multi-city trip across India, championing economic and cultural exchange.
A highlight of the trade and tourism mission was the news surrounding an Indian Consular presence in Greater Manchester, which was warmly received by the city-region.
The delegation’s intensive programme culminated in a reception hosted by the British High Commission in New Delhi, symbolising the depth of the bilateral relations.
Lancashire County Cricket Club also announced its upcoming tour of India in March 2025, with both male and female teams set to represent the club.
Marketing Manchester partnered with Visit Britain on its Destination Britain Middle East & Africa global showcase in Bengaluru, to promote UK regions to visitors from those markets. The showcase included presentations from Marketing Manchester, Manchester Airport and Manchester City.
A number of Greater Manchester businesses participated in the Bengaluru Tech Summit, as part of the Department of Business and Trade AI and Semi-conductor trade mission.
And one of the city region’s most famous exports – the co-operative movement – received global billing at the ICA Global Co-operative Conference in Delhi, where the CEO of the Manchester-based Co-operatives UK, Rose Marley, gave a keynote speech.
It came as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced Manchester is one of two new British cities where the Indian government will have a diplomatic presence from next year, in recognition of the strength of cultural and economic ties between the two locations. He also confirmed talks over a UK-India Free Trade Agreement will resume in the new year.
The announcements served as a fitting backdrop for the trade and tourism mission, which the award-winning MIP coordinated, set up in 2018 by public and private sector partners including MIDAS, Marketing Manchester, Manchester Airports Group, Lancashire CCC, Deloitte and the Universities of Salford and Bolton.
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. That has led to several strategic partnerships 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.”
As the destination marketing organisation for Greater Manchester, Marketing Manchester was a partner for the Visit Britain Destination Britain Middle East & Asia event in Bengaluru.
The event aimed to promote Britain as a destination for visitors from those markets. It was attended by representatives of several UK regions, as well Visit Britain’s representatives in overseas markets.
The hundreds of attendees at the two-day event heard presentations from Marketing Manchester, Manchester Airport and Manchester City.
Victoria Braddock, Managing Director of Marketing Manchester, said:
“India is a key market for Greater Manchester, welcoming 21,000 visitors and generating £8.7m for the visitor economy. Our attendance at Destination Britain offered a significant opportunity to showcase the region as a unique place to visit in the year ahead, with key conversations with travel trade to promote the city.
“2025 is a great year to plan a trip to Manchester, with unmissable music and sports events taking place, including the return of England v India cricket matches at Emirates Old Trafford, and new experiences for film and TV fans to uncover the city on screen. This trip has been a vital part of the strong continued relationship between Manchester and India, and we look forward to offering visitors from India a warm welcome.”
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.”