Asian business Chamber supports UK-India Free Trade Agreement event
The Asian Business Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) supported Aston University in an event that explored the recently announced Free Trade Agreement between then UK and India.
The event was organised by Aston India Centre with the participation of Kumaran Periasamy, High Commissioner of India to the UK.
It brought together diplomatic, government, business and regional perspectives on implementation, business utilisation, SME participation and the opportunities for regions such as the West Midlands.
During the event, Kumaran Periasamy delivered the inaugural address on the UK-India economic partnership.
The conference also featured a keynote address from Paul Faulkner, vice chairman of the Midlands from Barclays bank on translating the FTA into business growth and commercial opportunity.
A panel discussion on the UK-India Free Trade Agreement process featured Rashmi Singh, from the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), Rachel Spiegelhalter from the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (BIST), Siddharth Mukne, managing director of ERGO Europe Ltd, and Sunny Claire, business growth advisor at Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce.
The discussion emphasised on the natural alignment between the West Midlands’ croe strengths and India’s high growth priorities, including advanced manufacturing and automotive, green tech and digital innovation.
Speaking about the event, Paul Faulkner said: “India is an important market for Barclays and we very much believe that the UK-India FTA represents a great opportunity for many businesses in the Midlands, and indeed across the UK, for exporting.
“We were delighted to participate in the event at Aston University highlighting the FTA, and were really impressed with the level of interest from the business community and the quality of the discussion on the day.”
The event also marked the launch of a co-authored white paper by Sangeeta Khorana and Professor Pawan Budhwar, titled ‘Decoding India’s National Education Policy 2020 and the UK’s International Education Strategy 2026: Opportunities for Sustainable Expansion of Institutional Partnerships.’
Sangeeta said: “The real opportunity for both the UK and India lies in turning policy alignment into partnerships that deliver measurable value for students, institutions and society.”
Katrina Raipuri, manager of the Asian Business Chamber of Commerce, said: “We’re proud to support Aston University in bringing together businesses, policymakers and academic leaders to explore the opportunities presented by the UK-India Free Trade Agreement.
“The agreement has the potential to strengthen trade links between the two countries, opening up new opportunities for businesses to access markets, build partnerships and drive growth. It is particularly important that SMEs and regional businesses are equipped to understand how they can benefit and translate these opportunities into tangible commercial outcomes.
“Through our work at the ABCC, we’re committed to helping businesses build connections and explore opportunities in international markets.
“Events like this are vital in bringing the right people together, sharing knowledge and ensuring businesses across the West Midlands can play their part in the future of UK-India trade.”
The GBCC programmes team will be launching a series of webinars on practical steps businesses can take to successfully enter and expand into India. Contact Sunny Claire for more details.
