Greater Manchester is a city region that has always welcomed global collaboration. As a city region built on ideas, trade and innovation, we have long understood the potential of building strong relationships with cities, businesses and universities across the globe.
Our region has just announced its latest international mission to India. During this mission, we will seek to unlock new investment, support export growth, strengthen innovation partnerships and open doors for future collaboration in areas where both our economies excel. Our ambition is to translate these connections into long-term investment, high-quality jobs and enduring institutional partnerships.
But just as importantly, we want to celebrate and strengthen the people-to-people links that make Greater Manchester’s relationship with India unique.
The connection between Greater Manchester and India is built on more than just economic opportunity. Over decades, our regions have developed deep links through communities, culture, education and shared experiences. Whether through the growing Indian diaspora that has helped shape Greater Manchester’s communities, our shared passion for sport, music and the arts, or the relationships that exist between our universities and institutions, these connections provide the foundation for meaningful collaboration.
Greater Manchester is home to more than 50,000 people of Indian heritage whose contributions have enriched our economy, culture and civic life. These communities have helped strengthen understanding between our regions, creating lasting ties that continue to grow from one generation to the next.
As the UK’s fastest-growing city-region, forging a long-term relationship with one of the world’s fastest-growing economies makes good business sense. But this mission is about more than that. It is about creating opportunities for people, strengthening institutions and building partnerships that deliver long-term benefits on both sides.
There is a huge amount of untapped potential between Manchester and India that we hope to explore in the coming months, in ways that benefit people and place. This mission is about encouraging our Indian counterparts to think beyond London and recognise the opportunity that Greater Manchester offers, while identifying areas where we can learn from one another and collaborate more closely.
We established the Manchester India Partnership over six years ago to strengthen these links across trade, investment, education, culture and innovation. By bringing together Greater Manchester’s businesses, universities, cultural institutions and public-sector partners, we have created practical opportunities for cross-continental collaboration that benefit talent, communities and businesses alike.
The impact of these connections can already be seen across Greater Manchester. Universities across our city region work closely with Indian students, researchers and institutions. Cultural organisations continue to foster exchange through arts, heritage and community initiatives. These relationships help deepen understanding between our regions and create opportunities that extend well beyond economic growth.
Since then, Manchester has welcomed the Consulate General of India, helping us to strengthen cultural links and business engagement between our two regions. Establishing a diplomatic presence in Manchester is a strong signal of the Indian Government’s recognition of Greater Manchester’s importance as a partner. It has helped reinforce bilateral ties, create new opportunities for trade and collaboration, while acting as a bridge between our communities.
The opening of the Consulate General is just one sign that Greater Manchester’s relationship with India is entering a new phase. Our economy has grown, our institutions are more connected than ever, and our communities continue to strengthen the bonds that exist between our regions.
Alongside these people-to-people connections, we share significant sector strengths with our partners in India. From life sciences and advanced manufacturing to creative, digital and tech, and financial and professional services, there are clear opportunities for collaboration and growth. Many Indian businesses already call Greater Manchester home, including companies such as Tech Mahindra and Hero Cycles. The new UK-India Free Trade Agreement also presents an opportunity to strengthen bilateral trade and investment in the years ahead. Together, these foundations create significant potential for both regions.
During our mission to India in October, our first day of activity will be delivered in partnership with the Great North, demonstrating that the UK is about far more than just London. As the UK’s first joint mayoral-led mission to India, and the first major regional response to the UK–India Free Trade Agreement, we will showcase the North’s economic assets and present a strong, united voice on the international stage.
Alongside civic and business leaders, university and civic partners from Liverpool City Region, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, the North East, and Cheshire and Warrington, Greater Manchester will help lead the charge, demonstrating the scale of opportunity across the North of England’s £340 billion economy and 1.1 million businesses.
Following this, Greater Manchester will go on to strengthen its own links, travelling to key Indian cities to meet businesses, universities and leaders, to drive investment, exploring new collaborations and identifying further opportunities for collaboration.
This mission is not simply about securing investment or signing agreements. It is about fostering relationships that can create lasting value for communities in both Greater Manchester and India.
By strengthening links with India, we can support job creation, help Greater Manchester businesses reach new markets and create opportunities for innovation and collaboration. At the same time, strong international relationships make our region more connected, more resilient and more attractive as a place to study, work, visit and invest.
Culture and tourism will also play an important role in the mission. Alongside business and civic engagements, we will seek new opportunities to promote Manchester as a place to visit, supporting tourism growth and our wider visitor economy. We will work with partners across the cultural sector, including museums and arts organisations, to explore opportunities for exchange, celebrate the contribution of our Indian communities and bring these connections to life for audiences across Greater Manchester.
This mission is about turning long-standing connections into lasting opportunities for both Greater Manchester and India. It reflects a relationship built on trust, shared ambition and a genuine desire to work together.
The Manchester India Partnership is ready to work with businesses, institutions and leaders from across Greater Manchester to present the best of our city-region to Indian counterparts, deepen relationships between our regions and ensure the benefits of this growing partnership are felt by communities on both sides for decades to come.
