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15
Jul
Mayor to join mission to India under banner of The Great North
The mayor of York and North Yorkshire, David Skaith, is to travel with other northern leaders to India this autumn.
The aim of the delegation, which includes civic and business leaders, academics and civic partners from Yorkshire, the North East, Liverpool City Region, and Cheshire and Warrington, is to strengthen ties on trade, investment, innovation, culture and the visitor economy.
The mission, which will be delivered in partnership with the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, will be the first to visit the Subcontinent under The Great North banner, and will be there from October 12 to 16, 2026.
The Great North
The Great North is a mayoral-led partnership set up to accelerate growth across the north of England.
According to the DBT, total UK-India trade reached £47.9 billion in 2025, up 10% on the previous year.
This mission is the UK’s first joint mayoral-led delegation to India and the first major regional response to the historic UK-India Free Trade Agreement, which is projected to increase annual bilateral trade by £25.5 billion by 2040.
Mr Skaith said:
We will use this visit to India to showcase the combined strength of The Great North and how York and North Yorkshire can bring our world-class research and education, our thriving manufacturing sector and our hard-working farmers to the table.
We are already building the connections in our region with the University of York opening a new campus in Mumbai, but we are ready to do more. By working together with mayors across the Great North, we ensure that we all benefit from the UK’s evolving deal with India.
The mission builds on the first India North England Opportunity Summit, held in Manchester in March 2026, which brought together more than 300 delegates from business, government and civic life.
'Taking control of our own destiny'
In October, Mr Skaith and other northern mayors will be joined by businesses, SMEs and universities from across the region to help bolster links, showcase the North’s economic assets and create new opportunities for trade, investment and academic collaboration.
Activity will include an opening event under The Great North banner to showcase the collective North, with the British High Commission, New Delhi, sector-focused engagement and cultural and sporting activity showcasing the breadth of what the North has to offer.
North East mayor Kim McGuinness, who chairs The Great North, said the mission showed the North was “taking control of its own destiny”, and added:
By bringing Northern leaders, businesses and institutions together in India, this mission will help unlock new investment and back SMEs to export and grow. It will help create good jobs, drive economic growth and ensure that the benefits of international trade and investment are felt in towns and cities right across the North.
Together, we have an opportunity to write the next chapter of that story and ensure the North is recognised around the world as a place that is confident, outward-looking and ready to lead.
Increasingly important market
Events are also planned with Indian travel trade partners to strengthen visitor economy links between India and the North of England. Working with Visit Britain, LVEPs and tourism industry partners from across the North will attend to showcase destinations, attract new visitors and build relationships with one of the world's fastest-growing outbound travel markets.
Consul General of India in Manchester, Mrs Vishakha Yaduvanshi, said:
The opening of the Consulate General of India in Manchester was itself a clear indication of India’s commitment to engaging more closely with the region. Over the past year, we have worked steadily with local authorities, businesses, universities and other partners across the North. The India-North England Opportunity Summit was an important step in bringing these relationships together and identifying practical areas for cooperation.
The India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement now gives this engagement fresh momentum. There is considerable scope for collaboration between the North of England and Indian states and cities in areas such as advanced manufacturing, technology, textiles, education, clean energy, sport and culture. The strong Indian diaspora in the region adds further depth to this partnership.
India is an increasingly important visitor market for the UK, with more than 600,000 visits made each year. Visitor numbers are forecast to reach 1 million by 2030, with visitor spend reaching £1 billion, creating significant opportunities for destinations across the North of England.
The Great North represents a combined economy worth over £340 billion, home to 16 million people and 1.1 million businesses, with shared strengths across advanced manufacturing, life sciences, digital technology, clean energy, financial and professional services, and creative industries.
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