Indian delegates assess Birmingham for investment opportunities

DELEGATES from the Indian state of Gujarat have targeted Birmingham as a potential source of foreign investment.

The delegation toured the city to gauge the appetite for investing in the area and to learn more about the West Midlands as the state bids to develop a bilateral relationship with the UK.  
 
The group, comprising 15 Gujarati business leaders from backgrounds including financial services, life sciences and advanced manufacturing, explored key attractions and areas such as the Jewellery Quarter, Digbeth and Snowhill and found out about the city’s key business sectors.
 
The delegation was also in the city to promote Vibrant Gujarat, an international investment summit that takes place in India every two years. The summit was established in 2003 to increase investment in Gujarat and has now become a forum for companies around the world to exchange ideas, network and explore potential business opportunities.
 
B.C. Pradhan, Consulate General of India, who worked with inward investment agency Business Birmingham to organise the visit, said the visit provided a valuable opportunity to promote closer economic and cultural links between the city region and the state.

“It allowed the delegation not only to find out more about Birmingham’s history and culture, but also its key sectors including textiles, renewable energy and manufacturing,” he said.
 
Nicola Hewitt, commercial director of Marketing Birmingham, which operates Business Birmingham, added: “The West Midlands trades goods to the value of £900m with India each year, exporting about £280m.

“The visit offered a chance for the delegation to meet the region’s leading companies, and to understand why Birmingham has a thriving business community. This is part of an ongoing programme of international engagement currently being undertaken by Marketing Birmingham.”
 
The delegation was hosted by KPMG and the new West Midlands Combined Authority.

Richard Peberdy, partner at KPMG, said: “We feel aligned with Marketing Birmingham in promoting our region across the UK and the world. A number of my colleagues here are from Gujarat and we were very pleased to have the opportunity to further our ties with India, by promoting economic links through business discussions at our office here at Snow Hill.”
 
Prior to their Birmingham visit, the Gujarati delegation had visited London and Manchester. The group will be exploring other major UK cities in the coming weeks.