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 York and North Yorkshire, 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.
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, 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.”
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.”
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.”
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".