Manchester hopes to bowl over Indian delegates

MANCHESTER is using this week’s test match to build trade relations with India.

England will meet India at Old Trafford in the fourth test on Thursday and at the same time delegates from 40 Indian businesses will arrive to find out more about Manchester’s economy.

The trade mission will include executives from the conglomerate Tata, which owns Jaguar Land Rover, Air India, IT firm HCL and intellectual property specialist San Shadow, which already has an office in Manchester.

Manchester is keen to attract investment from one of the world’s fastest growing economies, and is targeting four sectors: life sciences, creative and digital, information technology and financial and professional services.

The event is being supported by the UK India Business Council (UKIBC), Manchester’s inward investment agency MIDAS, accountancy firm Deloitte, architect BDP, UK Trade and Investment, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, VisitEngland, the Midland Hotel and the Lowry Theatre.

Delegates will visit companies on Wednesday and a business summit will be held at Old Trafford on Thursday, to coincide with the cricket.

Tim Newns, chief executive of MIDAS, said: “This summit will present a fantastic opportunity to not only boost foreign investment in the region, but also to help our resident industries find a foothold in the Indian marketplace. India has been pinpointed as a promising growth area for Greater Manchester, and as such is critical to Greater Manchester’s wider international strategy.”