UK India Business Council

Strengthening UK-India bilateral trade and investment ties through policy advocacy and strategic advisory services.

[UK India Business Council @UKIBC]

The UK India Business Council (UKIBC) was pleased to host a delegation of senior faculty from University College London (@ucl ) during its recent visit to India.

As part of our ongoing programme to support leading UK universities in strengthening engagement with Indian industry, we brought together a select group of senior HR and talent leaders for an interactive High Tea discussion with UCL leaders. The session provided a valuable platform to explore graduate employability, evolving workforce needs, skills development, and opportunities for deeper industry–academia collaboration.

As one of the world’s leading research universities, UCL’s engagement highlights the growing importance of UK–India partnerships in shaping future talent, driving innovation, and building stronger connections between higher education and industry.

Thank you to all participants for sharing their perspectives and insights. We look forward to continuing to foster meaningful collaborations between UK institutions and Indian businesses.

#UKIBC #UKIndia #HigherEducation #IndustryAcademia #UCL #TalentDevelopment #SkillsForTheFuture #UKIndiaPartnership #Education #Collaboration

[UK India Business Council @UKIBC]

Introducing UKIBC FTA Trade Talk – Policy to Practice — a new interview series bringing together expert voices from across the UKIBC network to unpack the opportunities, implications, and practical realities of the UK–India Comprehensive Economic & Trade Agreement (CETA)

As businesses across both markets prepare for the next phase of UK–India economic engagement, this series aims to move the conversation from policy to action — offering timely insights, strategic perspectives, and on-the-ground expertise.

In Episode 2, Richard McCallum discussed the growing importance of the UK–India Free Trade Agreement (FTA) as a catalyst for deeper defence and aerospace cooperation between the two countries. The conversation highlighted how the agreement could move the partnership beyond traditional trade relationships towards long-term strategic collaboration, co-development, and co-production: https://t.co/lRzMrKrOcm

[UK India Business Council @UKIBC]

UKIBC was delighted to support the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants & CIMA RISE 2040 Conference in Bangalore.

The event brought together CFOs and business leaders from across India to discuss the future of the accounting and finance profession.

UKIBC’s Senior Advisor Richard McCallum spoke on the GCC Panel: India’s Next Decade.

According to nasscom there are now 2,117 GCCs in India. UK headquartered companies account for over 130 centres – second only to those from the USA – and employ approximately 200,000 people in India.

The panel discussed emerging trends in the macro #GCC landscape including: the role of AI, talent development, the GCC maturity arc and the impact of fast-changing geopolitical environment.

Richard McCallum | Venkkat Ramanan | Ajay Lalwani

[UK India Business Council @UKIBC]

Thrilled to see our #Agrifood and #Drinks sector expert Shubhi Mishra sharing her invaluable insights with DBT and industry colleagues, sparking meaningful discussions on alcobev opportunities.

With extensive expertise in policies, regulations, and market dynamics - for her it’s always a delight to sit and talk with like-minded stakeholders.

With #CETA on the horizon, we’re excited for the doors they’ll open between economies—unlocking trade, innovation, and growth. Can’t wait for this chapter to unfold!

What alcobev policy trends are you watching? Let’s connect.

#Alcobev #FTA #IndiaTrade #ExportExcellence #Bilateraltrade #UKIndia #incredibleindia

[UK India Business Council @UKIBC]

India’s aerospace and defence manufacturing sector is at a critical turning point. In a candid conversation, Kishore Jayaraman, OBE, Group CEO, UK India Business Council, shares why India has moved beyond cost advantages, what it takes to become a global manufacturing leader, and why co-creation and quality will define the next phase.

India’s manufacturing journey has often been seen through the lens of “potential.” But according to Kishore Jayaraman, Group CEO, UK India Business Council, that narrative is now changing from aspiration to execution.

See the full article below:
https://t.co/wUNOSmPKJr

[UK India Business Council @UKIBC]

Exciting step forward for UK–India collaboration

UK India Business Council has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with @TWorksHyd Foundation, a leading Manufacturing Innovation Incubation Cell for industries & promoting Startup & MSME Innovation through being India's largest prototyping centre, Government of Telangana works to encourage Startups and MSMEs in various sectors such as Electronics, Aerospace, Defence, Agriculture, Health, Environment and Textiles.

This collaboration will enable UK businesses to ideate, prototype, and scale in India, while opening global opportunities for Indian startups and MSMEs.

Looking forward to driving innovation and building stronger cross-border ecosystems together. Look at the full statement here: https://t.co/kzbkqqdBDa

#UKIndia #Innovation #Manufacturing #Collaboration

Kishore Jayaraman, OBE | Gareth Wynn Owen | Joginder Tanikella | British High Commission in India

[UK India Business Council @UKIBC]

We are pleased to announce that UK India Business Council (UKIBC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with @TheCityUK in Delhi.

Headquartered in London, @TheCityUK is the industry-led body representing UK-based financial and related professional services (FRPS). The sector it represents is a vital national asset, contributing 12% of the UK’s total economic output and employing nearly 2.5 million people, with around two-thirds of these roles based outside London across the UK’s regions and nations.

This MOU marks an important step forward in strengthening UK–India collaboration across key areas including:
- Green and Sustainable Finance
- Capital Markets Connectivity
- Insurance
- Policy advocacy and more

We look forward to working closely together to unlock new opportunities and drive impactful partnerships across both markets.

Kishore Jayaraman, OBE | Zhouchen Mao, PhD | Nicola Watkinson (she/her)

[UK India Business Council @UKIBC]

We held our 3rd Annual Dialogue on Future of Work, in New Delhi. The engaging session brought together representation from leaders from #government, #industry, and #academia to explore how the #UK and #India can collaboratively shape a future-ready workforce.

The session highlighted opportunities for co-creation and co-development through embedded education programmes, apprenticeships and internships, stronger industry–academia linkages, and a greater role for industry associations in enabling real-world learning experiences for students. It also emphasised strengthened STEM collaboration and the imperative of co-existing with AI.

Some of the themes that emerged were- #Learning #to #Learn- Upskilling for middle management, Flexibility- Bringing new mothers back into workforce, Acknowledging that AI conversation can be limited to “creamy layer” of the workforce and efforts on digital literacy need to be more inclusive. We were honoured to hear special remarks from Dr. (Mrs.) Pankaj Mittal, Secretary General, Association Of Indian Universities, who underscored the need for curricula to evolve in line with technological change.

We extend our sincere thanks to all our speakers and UKIBC members for their valuable insights, which made the discussion well-rounded, engaging, and forward-looking.

With the UK–India FTA opening up deeper conversations around skilling, mobility, and mutual recognition of qualifications, the Dialogue reaffirmed a shared commitment to building a more agile, future-ready workforce.

Nitin Razdan | Monika Rawat | Deep Narayan | Sundeep Jakhar | Abhilash Nair | Girish Balachandran | Karam Grover | Prashant Gupta | Mansi Goyal

Kishore Jayaraman, OBE | Surbhi Mathur | Nishtha Grover | Ananyaa Girhotra | Astha Katyayan | Amanpreet Singh

[UK India Business Council @UKIBC]

We are delighted to welcome Dr. (Mrs.) Pankaj Mittal Secretary General of the Association Of Indian Universities (AIU), to the UKIBC Dialogue: Future of Work.

A distinguished leader in higher education, she is the second woman to hold the position of Secretary General in AIU’s 100-year history. She also serves as Chief Commissioner (Guides) at Bharat Scouts and Guides, contributing significantly to youth development and leadership in India.

We look forward to her special remarks, fireside chat and valuable insights as we explore the evolving landscape of work, skills, and education.
#UKIBC #FutureOfWork #Leadership #HigherEducation #IndiaUK #Dialogue

[UK India Business Council @UKIBC]

We’re pleased to introduce the moderators for our upcoming Future of Work Dialogue on April 8, 2026 in New Delhi.

Karam Grover will be moderating the first panel on 'Enhancing Employability and Productivity' and brings over a decade of experience advising organisations on navigating India’s regulatory ecosystem, with deep expertise across healthcare, sustainability, skill development, and technology. His work focuses on aligning policy, business strategy, and public understanding.

Girish Balachandran will be moderating the second panel 'Designing Future Ready Workspaces' and is a seasoned communications leader with 25+ years of global experience across the UK, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and India. As Founder of ON PURPOSE, he has worked with leading global institutions including UNICEF, UNDP, USAID, and the Gates Foundation.

Stay tuned as there are some truly knowledgeable speakers who will share insights into the Future of Work in the years ahead.

We look forward to an engaging and insightful conversation led by two accomplished voices as we explore the evolving landscape of work.

#FoW #AI #Innovation #Tech #UkIndia

[UK India Business Council @UKIBC]

Maharashtra's automotive manufacturing sector stands to gain significantly from the CETA's tariff eliminations on auto parts from 18% to 0% effectively immediately.

3% of India’s $21.2 billion auto component exports go to the UK and Maharashtra contributes significantly to this. Under the CETA, this trade relationship can expand beyond volume expand beyond volume increases to encompass deeper technological collaboration.

It creates opportunities for Maharashtra's component manufacturers to participate in joint ventures with UK entities, particularly in electric vehicle components and manufacturing technologies.

Download the report today: https://t.co/rOHxTZUYyC

[UK India Business Council @UKIBC]

We were delighted to support the #ETDeftech Summit 2026 as a 'Supporting Association Partner', reinforcing our commitment to strengthening UK–India collaboration in defence and advanced technologies. India’s defence story is no longer just about reducing imports. It is about building the confidence, capability, and partnerships needed to compete globally.

Our UKIBC Senior Advisor, Richard McCallum also had the opportunity to speak at the event, where he highlighted the growing momentum in UK–India defence cooperation, the importance of innovation-led partnerships, and the critical role of industry collaboration in building resilient and future-ready supply chains. 

UKIBC believes that there is a need to foster deeper engagement between startups, SMEs, and large enterprises to accelerate technology development and deployment.

A big thank you to the organisers and all participants for insightful discussions on the future of defence and security.

@ETManufacturing

#Deftech #defence #trade #UKIndia

[UK India Business Council @UKIBC]

The UK India Business Council (UKIBC) warmly welcomes the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India’s (FSSAI) notification, endorsed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), on the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Amendment Regulations, 2026, published in the Gazette of India on March 11, 2026.

This progressive update ensures licenses and registrations remain perpetually valid—without repeat applications—as long as annual fees and returns are submitted on time, easing compliance for food businesses of all scales. These reforms advance Ease of Doing Business (EoDB), align with UN SDGs 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), and are anticipated to help advance bilateral trade ties between India (world's 4th largest economy) and the UK (6th largest) as businesses expand in these leading global economies.

Look at full news here: https://t.co/sT1Jsuouhl

[UK India Business Council @UKIBC]

Excited to share that last week we held our first #SectorWorkingGroup sessions as part of preparations for #JETCO 2026!
The sessions brought together industry leaders from across sectors and saw great engagement, enthusiasm, and insightful contributions from all participants.

➡️ About JETCO
The UK–India Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) is the annual ministerial dialogue that shapes the UK–India trade and investment relationship. It ensures that business priorities inform government discussions and help unlock growth opportunities across both markets.

In partnership with the Department for Business and Trade, the UKIBC is convening industry‑led, sector‑specific working groups aligned with Industrial strategy and Ministerial priorities. These groups will identify #opportunities, #challenges, and priority #actions, and will help develop recommendations that promote trade and investment — bringing forward industry insights and priorities to deliver meaningful, practical outcomes for both markets.

[UK India Business Council @UKIBC]

UKIBC Chair Richard Heald, OBE is speaking at the In Whisky Conference in Glasgow today. He will be joining Stuart S. and Ewan Bruce from the Scotch Whisky Association for a discussion on Tariffs & Exports.

Stay tuned to know more about the discussion.

#trade #discussion #collaboration #speaker #event

[UK India Business Council @UKIBC]

UKIBC is delighted to reinvigorate its relationship with the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, India to meet Ms Debashree Mukherjee, for an engaging discussion on how the UK can be an important partner in supporting India’s skilling mission.

It was a pleasure to explore skilling opportunities across states and regions, particularly in cross-cutting sectors such as agriculture, advanced engineering, defence, sports equipment, textiles, and energy.

UK higher education and applied institutions offer strong potential for collaboration, with opportunities to develop innovative models for training, upskilling, and reskilling the workforce.

Richard Heald, OBE | Surbhi Mathur

[UK India Business Council @UKIBC]

UKIBC had an interesting interaction with Dr Dr. Shashank Shah, Senior Specialist Education, NITI Aayog. The discussion was led by UKIBC Group CEO, Kishore Jayaraman, OBE and Surbhi Mathur

Discussion focused on strengthening UK–India higher education collaboration aligned with India’s national development priorities and skills agenda. They also explored the role of UK International Branch Campuses in India to support employability and long-term capacity building.

#mobility #education #NitiAyog #IBC

[UK India Business Council @UKIBC]

@inBritish

[UK India Business Council @UKIBC]

The UK–India partnership in #technology and #innovation continues to scale new heights.

At an event hosted by British High Commission in India, British Council and UK India Business Council, UK’s AI Minister Kanishka Narayan MP underscored the strength of the UK–India economic and technology relationship, rooted in shared democratic values, trust, and a common ambition to build AI ecosystems anchored in ethics, responsibility and inclusion.

The event held on the sidelines of the mega AI Summit being hosted by the Indian Government, brough together policymakers, industry leaders, students and innovators from both countries to advance meaningful dialogue on artificial intelligence.

As two knowledge-driven economies, the UK and India are uniquely positioned to collaborate on:
• Responsible and trustworthy AI frameworks
• AI innovation in public services, healthcare, education and financial services
• Research partnerships between universities and industry
• Skills development and future-ready talent pipelines
• Cross-border investment and startup collaboration

Minister Narayan’s remarks reinforced that AI must be developed not only for competitiveness, but for societal impact ensuring transparency, accountability and shared prosperity.

The India #AI Impact Summit 2026 marks another step in strengthening UK–India cooperation in frontier technologies. UKIBC remains committed to facilitating policy alignment, industry partnerships and investment flows that translate this shared vision into tangible outcomes.

We look forward to advancing these discussions and supporting a future where UK–India collaboration shapes the global AI landscape responsibly and ambitiously

@UKinIndia | @HCI_London | @IndiaAiExpo

Richard Heald, OBE | Kishore Jayaraman, OBE | Neil Dawes Bhutani | Surbhi Mathur | Nishtha Grover | Astha Katyayan

#AISummit2026 #AI #Technology #innovation #UKIBC

[UK India Business Council @UKIBC]

We are delighted to announce the launch of our new website, a refreshed digital platform designed to better serve our members, partners, and the wider UK–India business community: https://t.co/XU4l49oBn8

As the UK–India partnership continues to deepen across trade, investment, education, innovation and sustainability, our new website reflects the ambition and pace of this evolving corridor. With a more intuitive design, clearer navigation, and enhanced content, the platform offers easier access to policy insights, sector expertise, events, market entry support, and thought leadership.

The new site showcases UKIBC’s work across regions and sectors, highlights the impact we deliver for our members, and provides a dynamic space to engage with our growing network of businesses, universities, and stakeholders. It also strengthens our ability to share timely updates on policy developments and commercial opportunities shaping the UK–India relationship.

We invite you to explore the new platform, discover our latest insights, and connect with us as we continue to champion stronger economic ties between the UK and India.

Visit us today and be part of the next chapter of UK–India collaboration!

Link: https://t.co/XU4l49oBn8

#UKIBC #UKIndia #TradeAndInvestment #GlobalPartnership

[Narendra Modi @narendramodi]

India AI Impact Expo 2026 was a powerful convergence of ideas, innovation and intent.

It showcased the extraordinary potential of Indian talent in shaping the future of Artificial Intelligence for global good.

Above all, it reaffirmed our commitment to harnessing AI responsibly, inclusively and at scale for human progress. Here are the highlights…