A landmark India trade mission has brought the North of England to India this week, as a coalition of northern mayors, businesses, universities and cultural leaders seeks to convert the UK-India free trade agreement into jobs, investment and growth back home.
The Great North India Mission, which ran from October 12 to 16 under the banner of The Great North, is the first visit to India by a united North of England since the UK-India Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) came into force on July 15. It was delivered in partnership with HSBC, the Department for Business and Trade and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
Nearly 200 representatives made the trip, bringing together mayors, businesses, universities and leaders from tourism, culture and sport. The India trade mission is targeting what its organisers call a £450 million-a-year prize: the estimated long-run boost to northern economies from the new trade deal.
Who joined the India trade mission
The India trade mission was led by mayors through The Great North, including North East Mayor Kim McGuinness as chair, Greater Manchester Mayor Bev Craig, Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram, West Yorkshire Mayor Tracey Brabin, York and North Yorkshire Mayor David Skaith, South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard, Hull and East Yorkshire Mayor Luke Campbell and Cheshire and Warrington chair Louise Gittins.
Running alongside was the UK government’s own trade push. Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds led a delegation of more than 100 businesses, joined by Scotland Secretary Douglas Alexander and Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary Angela Eagle. The combined mission visited Delhi and Mumbai to forge partnerships and expand market access for British firms.
“Our trade deal with India opened the door, and now regional businesses are walking through it with our northern Mayors leading the way in building partnerships to drive jobs, investment and growth,” Reynolds said.
India trade mission converts the FTA into £1 billion of deals
The India trade mission coincided with the India-UK JETCO meeting, where British firms announced new deals worth £1 billion. Standout announcements included a £50 million investment from Meta for Data Technologies (MFD) to fund AI research in the UK, and aviation services company Menzies Aviation seeking to generate more than £600 million in revenue from an expanded Indian footprint.
The agreement itself is expected to be transformative: the CETA entered into force three months ago and is projected to boost bilateral trade by £25.5 billion annually by 2040. In its free trade agreements, India has provided quota-based tariff concessions for automobiles to the UK and the EU, a significant win for British manufacturers.
Food and drink exporters were also part of the India trade mission, with UK ministers seeking to translate the FTA’s commitments into export gains for farmers and producers. Scottish businesses in particular see opportunities in products such as salmon and whisky.
Tourism, universities and the India trade mission’s softer power
Beyond goods and services, the India trade mission pushed tourism hard. VisitBritain and Marketing Manchester hosted the England’s Great North Destination Showcase 2026, with destination presentations, product seminars and networking events pitching cricket, football and sporting tourism, culture, music, screen tourism and heritage attractions to Indian travel buyers.
India is already a key market for Manchester’s visitor economy: the region welcomes 21,000 visitors from India each year, contributing £8.7 million to the local economy. Indian travel buyers will return to Manchester in November for a Spotlight Manchester event showcasing the wider North as a base for exploring the country.
“The North is going to India with ambition, confidence and a simple message: we want to seize every opportunity this new trade deal creates,” McGuinness said. West Yorkshire Mayor Brabin added that the region has a proud track record of turning conversations into results, citing hundreds of jobs in Leeds from a meeting in Bangalore and millions of pounds of investment after a Mumbai visit. For the first time, the North of England has spoken to the world with one voice, and the India trade mission was its debut.