Yorkshire mayors will unite to take county to India in first-ever joint trade mission

The Mayors of North, South and West Yorkshire will travel to India this October at the head of the county’s first-ever joint trade mission, in a collective drive to win new jobs, exports and investment for the region.

The “White Rose” delegation of businesses, universities and creative institutions marks the first time Yorkshire has come together under one banner to champion its interests abroad.

The trip will begin in New Delhi on 12 October as part of a wider HSBC-sponsored Great North trade mission, before the Yorkshire delegation breaks away for a programme in Hyderabad and Mumbai.

Led by Tracy Brabin, Oliver Coppard and David Skaith, the trade mission represents the first major regional response to the UK-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which came into force on 15 July 2026.

The UK government estimates the deal will increase annual bilateral trade by £25.5bn by 2040, and add £4.8bn a year to the UK economy.

Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said: “Our ties with India run deep, through our businesses, our universities, our communities and our cricket clubs.

Tracy Brabin

“I’ve seen first-hand what these trade missions deliver – a thousand jobs in Leeds off the back of a meeting in Bangalore, £7m of inward investment after a visit to Mumbai, and local firms striking up trade deals in one of the World’s fastest-growing economies.

“We may be three mayors, but we are one delegation speaking with one voice – if you want world-class engineering, brilliant science and a talented workforce, God’s own county is where you belong.”

David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, said: “Yorkshire is recognised throughout India for its cricketing heritage. But following the UK and India’s recent trade agreement, there is the potential to be known for new partnerships with God’s own county.

“York and North Yorkshire is a trailblazing city region, rural powerhouse. Along with business leaders, I will be presenting a York and North Yorkshire that is full of talent and ready for growth, from our world-class strengths and leading-edge research in the bioeconomy to a creative sector that is driving growth in one of the UK’s most successful export industries.”

South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard added: “One of the best things about being mayor is that I get to unashamedly tell people how great South Yorkshire is.

David Skaith

“Not just because I’m proud of the place I call home, but because I’m determined to make sure more people around the world know all about the things we do so well; so companies, investors and entrepreneurs know to choose South Yorkshire when making decisions about where to put their headquarters, their money and their jobs.

“I’m leading our delegation of South Yorkshire businesses and partners to India in October, where we’ll be telling everyone we can about our world-leading advanced manufacturing capabilities, our brilliant universities, and our thriving tech sector – and everything else that makes us such a unique and special place to invest.”

Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, Jonathan Reynolds, said: “I’m excited to see this trade deal creating incredible opportunities for businesses right across the UK, opening up one of the world’s fastest-growing major economies and supporting jobs and growth here at home.

“Yorkshire already has strong ties with India, and seeing the Mayors of North, South and West Yorkshire unite to champion the region’s strengths on the international stage shows what can be achieved when national government and regions work closely together.”

The mission will be the latest step in a programme of engagement with India rather than a standalone visit.

Brabin’s first trade mission to India in 2022 secured a commitment from technology firm Mphasis to create 1,000 jobs in Leeds. A West Yorkshire delegation of AI, aerospace, textiles and green technology firms visited Mumbai and Bangalore in early 2025.

Oliver Coppard

In October last year, Brabin travelled to Mumbai with then Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, where Mastek confirmed a £2m expansion of its Leeds office creating 200 jobs, and Algorithms Software announced a £5m investment creating another 53 jobs in West Yorkshire.

Since then, Indian technology firm Hexaware has committed £25m to expand in the UK, creating around 1,200 jobs including a flagship new research and development centre in Leeds.

Carbon Clean’s £7.6m innovation centre in Navi Mumbai is being built with components engineered in Huddersfield, supporting up to 150 roles at Thomas Broadbent & Sons.

Dr Niall Coogan, founder and chief executive of West Yorkshire-based AssetCool – who joined a previous trade mission to India – said: “Our recent trade mission to India demonstrated how focused international engagement translates into rapid commercial success, culminating in a formal agreement with APAR Industries just a few months after initial discussions.

“This partnership highlights the immense opportunity created by India’s extraordinary investment in expanding grid capacity, resilience, and renewable energy infrastructure.

“We’re proud to showcase how Yorkshire’s engineering strength gets in front of this opportunity – and wins.”

The mission will be the first of its kind for York and North Yorkshire, with Skaith leading a delegation of businesses from the bioeconomy and creative industries, sectors that present significant opportunities in India.

The delegation will promote York and North Yorkshire’s innovation, build connections, and explore trade, investment and partnership opportunities.

Jessica Wright, managing director of North Yorkshire-based Peel X Group, said: “We’re pleased to be joining the India Trade Mission and to represent North Yorkshire’s thriving creative and digital sector.

“For us this presents an exciting opportunity to explore new markets, build meaningful international partnerships and share our expertise in digital storytelling, immersive ‘XR’ technology and innovative learning experiences.

Mumbai

“India’s scale, ambition and rapidly developing digital economy make it an incredibly exciting market, and we look forward to learning from its business community and exploring opportunities for collaboration and growth.”

Mark Corbett, director of the North Yorkshire-based Biorenewables Development Centre, said: “The Biorenewables Development Centre was founded in collaboration, and our work with customers addresses the most urgent concern of our times: how do we sustainably use natural resources whilst supporting the health, wealth, and wellbeing of people and the planet?

“Co-operation between the UK and India brings together two leading nations driving innovation and growth in a global bioeconomy set to grow to $30tn by 2050.”

In South Yorkshire, Sheffield battery pioneer Faradion has been owned by India’s Reliance Industries since a £100m acquisition in 2022, supporting thousands of jobs.

Rushabh Shah, commercialisation lead at the University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC), said: “This trade mission arrives at a pivotal moment for high-value manufacturing as the UK-India Free Trade Agreement removes long-standing trade friction.

“Landmark tariff cuts such as aerospace components dropping from up to 11 per cent to 0 per cent, automotive duties falling from 110 per cent to 10 per cent, together with digital customs processes, greatly simplify cross-border collaboration.

Hyderabad

“As part of the University of Sheffield, the AMRC is proud to stand alongside Yorkshire’s mayors as a strategic partner, driven by our core purpose: transforming lives through innovation.

“Connecting our research capabilities and supporting our spinout portfolio to access the scale offered by India allows us to translate breakthrough technologies into maximum real-world impact.

“Our track record proves the power of bridging UK ingenuity with Indian industrial scale – from supporting battery pioneer Faradion through early research to build its valuable IP portfolio, to providing critical design and technical expertise to help PTC Industries establish its pioneering titanium casting facility in India.

“Backed by our ties with partners like Rolls-Royce, BAE Systems, Airbus, and Boeing, an active network of over 2,800 alumni across India, and research ties with IIT Bombay, we are here to attract inward manufacturing investment and build long-term innovation pipelines across aerospace, defence, and clean energy.”