Mayor David Skaith will travel to India this October with the mayors of South and West Yorkshire at the head of the county’s first-ever joint trade mission, in a collective drive to win new jobs, exports and investment for the region.
Building on the success of previous regional trade missions, the “White Rose” delegation of businesses, universities and creative institutions marks the first time that the great county of Yorkshire has come together under one banner to champion its interests abroad.
The trip will begin in New Delhi as part of a wider Great North trade mission, before the Yorkshire delegation breaks away for a dedicated programme in Hyderabad and Mumbai. The programme has been designed to showcase the unique strengths of “God’s own county” and win crucial new investment in the region’s fastest growing sectors.
Led by David Skaith, Tracy Brabin and Oliver Coppard, the trade mission represents the first major regional response to the UK-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which came into force on 15 July. The UK Government estimates that the deal will increase annual bilateral trade by £25.5 billion by 2040, and add £4.8 billion a year to the UK economy.
The delegation came together for the first time yesterday (Wednesday 9 September) at a pre-visit reception. Hosted by Grant Thornton in Leeds, the reception was joined by the Indian High Commissioner to the UK, Periasamy Kumaran, and India’s Consul General for the North of England, Dr Vishakha Yaduvanshi.
David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire said:
"Yorkshire is recognised throughout India for its cricketing heritage. But following the UK and India's recent trade agreement, there is the potential to be known for new partnerships with God's own county.
"York and North Yorkshire is a trailblazing city region, rural powerhouse. Along with business leaders, I will be presenting a York and North Yorkshire that is full of talent and ready for growth, from our world-class strengths and leading-edge research in the bioeconomy to a creative sector that is driving growth in one of the UK's most successful export industries.
"Joining mayors from South and West Yorkshire as a White Rose collective on our trade mission in India will present new opportunities for York and North Yorkshire to build direct links with one of the world's fastest growing economies."
Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said:
“Our ties with India run deep, through our businesses, our universities, our communities and our cricket clubs. It’s a friendship that means a great deal to our region, and it’s one we’re proud to keep building.
“I’ve seen first-hand what these trade missions deliver – a thousand jobs in Leeds off the back of a meeting in Bangalore, £7 million of inward investment after a visit to Mumbai, and local firms striking up trade deals in one of the World’s fastest-growing economies.
“Going as a united Yorkshire makes us impossible to ignore. We may be three Mayors, but we are one delegation speaking with one voice – if you want world-class engineering, brilliant science and a talented workforce, God’s own county is where you belong.”
South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard said:
“One of the best things about being Mayor is that I get to unashamedly tell people how great South Yorkshire is. Not just because I’m proud of the place I call home, but because I’m determined to make sure more people around the world know all about the things we do so well; so companies, investors and entrepreneurs know to choose South Yorkshire when making decisions about where to put their headquarters, their money and their jobs.
“I’m leading our delegation of South Yorkshire businesses and partners to India in October, where we’ll be telling everyone we can about our world-leading advanced manufacturing capabilities, our brilliant universities, and our thriving tech sector - and everything else that makes us such a unique and special place to invest.
“And I'll be doing it all alongside my fellow Yorkshire mayors, promoting God’s own county in one of the fastest growing economies in the world.”
Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, Jonathan Reynolds, said:
“I’m excited to see this trade deal creating incredible opportunities for businesses right across the UK, opening up one of the world's fastest-growing major economies and supporting jobs and growth here at home.
“Yorkshire already has strong ties with India, and seeing the Mayors of North, South and West Yorkshire unite to champion the region’s strengths on the international stage shows what can be achieved when national government and regions work closely together.”
The mission will be the first of its kind for York and North Yorkshire with Mayor Skaith leading a delegation of businesses from the bioeconomy and creative industries, sectors that present significant opportunities in India. The delegation will promote York and North Yorkshire’s world-class innovation, build connections, and explore trade, investment and partnership opportunities.
Bioeconomy
York and North Yorkshire is a national leader in the bioeconomy, hosting a significant workforce and businesses across agri-tech, bio-based materials, and sustainable food production. Leading edge research is taking place at the University of York, addressing global healthcare and environmental challenges. The University of York Mumbai will be welcoming its first cohort of students this month.
The delegation will include stakeholders from the bioeconomy and agri-tech organisations Agrisound, Anglo American and Biorenewables Development Centre.
Mark Corbett, Director, The Biorenewables Development Centre said:
"The Biorenewables Development Centre was founded in collaboration, and our work with customers addresses the most urgent concern of our times: how do we sustainably use natural resources whilst supporting the health, wealth, and wellbeing of people and the planet?
“Cooperation between the UK and India brings together two leading nations driving innovation and growth in a global bioeconomy set to grow to $30tn by 2050. I look forward to the new partnerships that will grow from this mission, accelerating the progress towards sustainable growth."
Rachel Dolby Head of Corporate Affairs, Land and Permitting, for Anglo American’s Crop Nutrients business said:
“We are delighted to be part of this exciting opportunity with York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority to visit an important market for our Crop Nutrients business and build on our existing relationships in India.”
Robin Wilson, Pollination Specialist, Agrisound said:
“AgriSound is proud to be part of the Great North Trade Mission, representing York and North Yorkshire’s growing agritech sector. For a start-up like ours, this is a valuable opportunity to showcase the innovation coming out of Yorkshire, build new international commercial partnerships and demonstrate how technology can support a more productive and sustainable agricultural sector.
“We have been looking for opportunities to explore India’s vast agricultural market, so we are excited to be part of this mission and see where it may lead.”
Creative Industries
Over 20,000 people are employed across York and North Yorkshire’s creative economy, with businesses ranging from photography, film, video, audio, computer or digital arts and interactive media. York is one of only 27 cities in the world - and the only UK city – to have been designated as a UNESCO City of Media Arts.
Stakeholders from Air TV, Peel X, Viridian FX and Mediale will join the delegation from the region’s creative industries.
Tom Higham, Creative Director at Mediale said:
"We've built a roster of artists doing world class work in digital and immersive media, and part of our job is helping them find audiences and collaborators beyond North Yorkshire. India has a fast-growing digital arts scene with a huge appetite for international exchange, so we are extremely excited about building connections and finding future collaborators."
Matt Richards, Managing Director, Air TV said:
“India is a dynamic, fast-growing market with enormous potential, and this mission gives us a fantastic opportunity to build relationships, share ideas and take our distinctive brand of high-quality factual storytelling to new audiences.
“We’re ambitious for Air TV’s international growth, and we’re proud to play our part in showcasing the creativity and ambition of the North on the international stage.”
Jessica Wright, Managing Director, Peel X Group said:
“We’re delighted to be joining the India Trade Mission and to represent North Yorkshire’s thriving creative and digital sector. For Peel X Group, this presents an exciting opportunity to explore new markets, build meaningful international partnerships and share our expertise in digital storytelling, immersive 'XR' technology and innovative learning experiences.
“India’s scale, ambition and rapidly developing digital economy make it an incredibly exciting market, and we look forward to learning from its business community and exploring opportunities for collaboration and growth.”