UK India Business Council

Maharashtra's automotive manufacturing sector stands to gain significantly from the CETA's tariff eliminations on auto parts from 18% to 0% effectively immediately. 3% of India’s $21.2 billion auto component exports go to the UK and Maharashtra contributes significantly to this. Under the CETA, this trade relationship can expand beyond volume expand beyond volume increases to encompass deeper technological collaboration. It creates opportunities for Maharashtra's component manufacturers to participate in joint ventures with UK entities, particularly in electric vehicle components and manufacturing technologies. Download the report today: lnkd.in/eKQ3W4z6

We were delighted to support the #ETDeftech Summit 2026 as a 'Supporting Association Partner', reinforcing our commitment to strengthening UK–India collaboration in defence and advanced technologies. India’s defence story is no longer just about reducing imports. It is about building the confidence, capability, and partnerships needed to compete globally. Our UKIBC Senior Advisor, Richard McCallum also had the opportunity to speak at the event, where he highlighted the growing momentum in UK–India defence cooperation, the importance of innovation-led partnerships, and the critical role of industry collaboration in building resilient and future-ready supply chains.  UKIBC believes that there is a need to foster deeper engagement between startups, SMEs, and large enterprises to accelerate technology development and deployment. A big thank you to the organisers and all participants for insightful discussions on the future of defence and security. @ETManufacturing #Deftech #defence #trade #UKIndia

The UK India Business Council (UKIBC) warmly welcomes the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India’s (FSSAI) notification, endorsed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), on the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Amendment Regulations, 2026, published in the Gazette of India on March 11, 2026. This progressive update ensures licenses and registrations remain perpetually valid—without repeat applications—as long as annual fees and returns are submitted on time, easing compliance for food businesses of all scales. These reforms advance Ease of Doing Business (EoDB), align with UN SDGs 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), and are anticipated to help advance bilateral trade ties between India (world's 4th largest economy) and the UK (6th largest) as businesses expand in these leading global economies. Look at full news here: lnkd.in/e9vHr4J7

Excited to share that last week we held our first #SectorWorkingGroup sessions as part of preparations for #JETCO 2026! The sessions brought together industry leaders from across sectors and saw great engagement, enthusiasm, and insightful contributions from all participants. ➡️ About JETCO The UK–India Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) is the annual ministerial dialogue that shapes the UK–India trade and investment relationship. It ensures that business priorities inform government discussions and help unlock growth opportunities across both markets. In partnership with the Department for Business and Trade, the UKIBC is convening industry‑led, sector‑specific working groups aligned with Industrial strategy and Ministerial priorities. These groups will identify #opportunities, #challenges, and priority #actions, and will help develop recommendations that promote trade and investment — bringing forward industry insights and priorities to deliver meaningful, practical outcomes for both markets.

UKIBC Chair Richard Heald, OBE is speaking at the In Whisky Conference in Glasgow today. He will be joining Stuart S. and Ewan Bruce from the Scotch Whisky Association for a discussion on Tariffs & Exports. Stay tuned to know more about the discussion. #trade #discussion #collaboration #speaker #event

UKIBC is delighted to reinvigorate its relationship with the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, India to meet Ms Debashree Mukherjee, for an engaging discussion on how the UK can be an important partner in supporting India’s skilling mission. It was a pleasure to explore skilling opportunities across states and regions, particularly in cross-cutting sectors such as agriculture, advanced engineering, defence, sports equipment, textiles, and energy. UK higher education and applied institutions offer strong potential for collaboration, with opportunities to develop innovative models for training, upskilling, and reskilling the workforce. Richard Heald, OBE | Surbhi Mathur

UKIBC had an interesting interaction with Dr Dr. Shashank Shah, Senior Specialist Education, NITI Aayog. The discussion was led by UKIBC Group CEO, Kishore Jayaraman, OBE and Surbhi Mathur Discussion focused on strengthening UK–India higher education collaboration aligned with India’s national development priorities and skills agenda. They also explored the role of UK International Branch Campuses in India to support employability and long-term capacity building. #mobility #education #NitiAyog #IBC

The UK–India partnership in #technology and #innovation continues to scale new heights. At an event hosted by British High Commission in India, British Council and UK India Business Council, UK’s AI Minister Kanishka Narayan MP underscored the strength of the UK–India economic and technology relationship, rooted in shared democratic values, trust, and a common ambition to build AI ecosystems anchored in ethics, responsibility and inclusion. The event held on the sidelines of the mega AI Summit being hosted by the Indian Government, brough together policymakers, industry leaders, students and innovators from both countries to advance meaningful dialogue on artificial intelligence. As two knowledge-driven economies, the UK and India are uniquely positioned to collaborate on: • Responsible and trustworthy AI frameworks • AI innovation in public services, healthcare, education and financial services • Research partnerships between universities and industry • Skills development and future-ready talent pipelines • Cross-border investment and startup collaboration Minister Narayan’s remarks reinforced that AI must be developed not only for competitiveness, but for societal impact ensuring transparency, accountability and shared prosperity. The India #AI Impact Summit 2026 marks another step in strengthening UK–India cooperation in frontier technologies. UKIBC remains committed to facilitating policy alignment, industry partnerships and investment flows that translate this shared vision into tangible outcomes. We look forward to advancing these discussions and supporting a future where UK–India collaboration shapes the global AI landscape responsibly and ambitiously @UKinIndia | @HCI_London | @IndiaAiExpo Richard Heald, OBE | Kishore Jayaraman, OBE | Neil Dawes Bhutani | Surbhi Mathur | Nishtha Grover | Astha Katyayan #AISummit2026 #AI #Technology #innovation #UKIBC

We are delighted to announce the launch of our new website, a refreshed digital platform designed to better serve our members, partners, and the wider UK–India business community: ukibc.com As the UK–India partnership continues to deepen across trade, investment, education, innovation and sustainability, our new website reflects the ambition and pace of this evolving corridor. With a more intuitive design, clearer navigation, and enhanced content, the platform offers easier access to policy insights, sector expertise, events, market entry support, and thought leadership. The new site showcases UKIBC’s work across regions and sectors, highlights the impact we deliver for our members, and provides a dynamic space to engage with our growing network of businesses, universities, and stakeholders. It also strengthens our ability to share timely updates on policy developments and commercial opportunities shaping the UK–India relationship. We invite you to explore the new platform, discover our latest insights, and connect with us as we continue to champion stronger economic ties between the UK and India. Visit us today and be part of the next chapter of UK–India collaboration! Link: ukibc.com #UKIBC #UKIndia #TradeAndInvestment #GlobalPartnership

India AI Impact Expo 2026 was a powerful convergence of ideas, innovation and intent. It showcased the extraordinary potential of Indian talent in shaping the future of Artificial Intelligence for global good. Above all, it reaffirmed our commitment to harnessing AI responsibly, inclusively and at scale for human progress. Here are the highlights…

The UK delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy and AI Minister Kanishka Narayan to the India AI Impact Summit, 2026 is keen to highlight how AI can improve daily life for every person present in every corner of the world. The AI Summit is being organised in Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi from today, February 16 and will continue till February 20. According to an advisory, the summit will be open to the general public from February 17 after its inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday evening. lnkd.in/gxHQxa_z

India's Union Budget 2026-27 signals deepening economic resilience and structural reforms, with implications across infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, and services exports, thereby presenting a plethora of opportunities for UK business. India's investment ecosystem demonstrates resilience. Growth is anchored in strong private consumption and sustained fixed capital formation, which generate multiplier effects throughout the economy, while fiscal discipline is maintained through revenue buoyancy from direct taxes and GST collections. Foreign direct investment inflows remain stable, reflecting sustained global investor confidence, though momentum has moderated slightly due to broader global headwinds. Look at the Macroeconomic Stability & Fiscal Credibility: #Budget #UnionBudget #Budget206 #UKIBC #Intelligence

We are pleased to announce that ACCA is this year's Sustainable Development Alliance Sponsor. "Sustainability isn't just a priority, it's a necessity for business in India and worldwide. Forward-looking accountants are driving sustainable businesses, embracing innovative tech and shaping future skills to succeed in a changed world. We are excited to be a sponsor of the UKIBC Sustainable Development Alliance." - Md. Sajid Khan #SDA #sponsor #ukibc

Thrilled to Partner with ETManufacturing to drive the future of defence manufacturing at the ETDefTech Summit 2026. From cutting-edge technologies to strategic partnerships, the summit brings together leaders shaping the future of India’s defence ecosystem. With focused sessions, expert speakers, and a powerful gathering of decision-makers, this is where conversations translate into capability and scale. 📍18th March 2026 | Hyatt Regency, New Delhi #ETDefTech #DefTechSummit #DefenceManufacturing #MakeInIndia #AatmanirbharBharat #DefenceInnovation #AerospaceAndDefence #MilitaryTechnology #FutureOfDefence

Consul General had a productive meeting with Mr. Richard Heald, Chair of the @UKIBC. They discussed new opportunities emerging for India–Scotland collaboration in areas of trade, investment, and research in light of the India–UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement. They also discussed avenues to further deepen business linkages across key sectors. @HCI_London @IndianDiplomacy

UKIBC held its sector advocacy session yesterday, focusing on higher education in India. We heard from insightful speakers who shared insights on India-focused market entry strategies, real estate and campus planning, government alignment with international education goals, city-level opportunity mapping, regulatory developments under proposed reforms, student mobility and wellbeing challenges, and upcoming platforms to strengthen UK–India higher education collaboration.

The transition to a sustainable, net-zero economy represents one of the most significant economic and industrial transformation of the 21st century. For the United Kingdom and India— the world’s sixth and fourth-largest economies respectively— this transition is not merely an environmental imperative but a strategic lever for economic resilience, trade competitiveness, and geopolitical leadership. It is within this high-stakes context that the UK India Business Council (UKIBC) convened its 3rd annual Sustainability Dialogue. Download UKIBC's 3rd Annual Sustainability Dialogue's outcome report today: lnkd.in/dkYXmC2z

Conversations that matter ✨ UKIBC hosted the 3rd edition of Unscripted Dialogues on 20th January in New Delhi, bringing together UKIBC University Partners, UKVI, and 20+ school counsellors for an engaging and interactive session. The session featured keynote addresses by Sameer Arora, Principal, Shiv Nadar School, Gurugram, and Shweta Jain, Vice President – Channel Management, Credila Financial Services. This was followed by a fireside chat on ‘Shaping Confident Applications: Insights from counsellors, universities, and visa experts’. Great to hear from Ambikaa Kaul | Divya Malhotra | Dheeraj Kumar | Anjana Singh #highered #education #University #UKIndiaEducation #SchoolCounsellors #StudentMobility #GlobalEducation #UKVI #UKIBC

The UK Government has unveiled its refreshed International Education Strategy 2026, marking a strategic shift in how the UK engages with international education. Under the new approach, the focus moves away from fixed targets for recruiting international students in the UK, and towards expanding British education delivery overseas, strengthening global partnerships and boosting education exports to £40 billion by 2030. It recognises that partnerships are critical to this mission and sets out our ambitions to: -Collectively grow education exports to £40 billion per year by 2030. -Develop through focus on areas like transnational education (TNE) and the promotion of British qualifications and skills development. -Sustainably recruit high-quality international higher education students from a diverse range of countries. -Increase the UK’s international standing through education and make UK the global partner of choice at every stage of learning