Liverpool City Region Combined Authority announces first mission to India

Image: Aerial view of the University of Liverpool’s Bengaluru Campus in Karnataka, India

Mayor Steve Rotheram is set to lead Liverpool City Region’s first ever mission to India aimed at driving trade, jobs and tens of millions of pounds of investment from the world’s fastest growing major economy, the Combined Authority reports. 

The visit will build on a new UK-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA) forecast to increase trade by £25.5bn a year by 2040 and will include the formal opening of the University of Liverpool’s new campus in Bengaluru. 

Key Indian cities, states, organisations and businesses that align closely with the City Region’s core strengths in health and life sciences, advanced manufacturing and digital and technology will be targeted, as the mission seeks to lay the foundations for long-term Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and to strengthen economic, academic, civic and cultural ties. 

Both Liverpool FC Foundation and the Premier League will feature in the mission to the world’s most populous country, which has seen a rapid rise in the popularity of top-flight English football. 

Starting in Delhi on October 12, the Mayor will join senior northern leaders under The Great North banner, for a series of engagements aimed at strengthening relationships on trade, investment, innovation, culture and the visitor economy. The delegation will travel to Mumbai the following day for further meetings and events. 

Meanwhile, a smaller City Region delegation will be forging ties in life sciences powerhouse Hyderabad before the two groups come together in Bengaluru on October 14 for the opening of the University of Liverpool campus. 

Through a packed series of high-level meetings, the delegation will raise Liverpool City Region’s profile in India as an innovation powerhouse, global gateway and cultural and sporting capital, with £11bn of investment opportunities, a £2bn Investment Fund and a Freeport and Innovation Zone offering lucrative benefits to Indian investors. 

The mission will aim to replicate the success of the Mayor’s visit to New York and Boston in 2024 which helped secure a major investment by IT giant Kyndryl that’s set to create up to 1,000 jobs in the City Region. 

Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram said:

“India is the fastest growing G20 economy, and I want the Liverpool City Region to be at the front of the queue when it comes to the opportunities for improved trade with the UK.“Liverpool already has a strong brand, so this mission is about putting our region firmly on the map, building on the strong links that already exist and showing Indian businesses and investors why the Liverpool City Region is a great place to do business, invest and build for the future.“We’ve already seen what can happen when we build the right relationships abroad, and I want this visit to open the door to many more. This is about backing our region’s future and bringing new investment, jobs and opportunities that benefit the people who live here.”  

With a population of more than 1.4 billion people, India’s £3 trillion economy is expected to grow by 6.6% this year, underpinned by strong domestic demand, infrastructure spending, stable inflation and rising private investment. 

UK Government analysis estimates the new trade agreement, which came into effect in July this year, could boost the North West economy by £210m a year. 

Indian companies have invested more than £650m in the Liverpool City Region since 2005, creating around 1,500 jobs, with Mumbai-based Essar currently investing more than £1bn developing its oil terminal at Tranmere and the UK’s second largest oilrefinery at Stanlow. 

Also headquartered in Mumbai, industrial giant Tata is currently investing £500m transforming its JLR plant in Halewood into an electric vehicle factory. The company also has a significant Liverpool city centre presence through its Tata Consultancy Services. 

Several Indian tech companies have also set up operations at City Region innovation campuses Sci-Tech Daresbury and Knowledge Quarter Liverpool in recent months. 

With a working age population of more than 950 million people, India has the world’s third largest start-up ecosystem with rapidly increasing AI, tech, digital, manufacturing, healthcare and clean energy sectors. 

The mission is targeting four Indian cities and states with strengths that align closely with Liverpool City Region’s priority growth sectors. These are: 

Mumbai/Maharashtra where the programme will focus on business, investment, tourism and sport in a city of more than 12 million people with strengths in digital and tech, creative industries, professional and business services, advanced manufacturing and maritime industries. 

Hyderabad/Telangana where the delegation will explore collaboration and investment in life sciences, digital and technology, innovation, creative industries and skills. 

Bengaluru/Karnataka where, as well as opening the University of Liverpool campus, the delegation will focus on developing economic, academic and research ties.

Delhi where the delegation will meet government and business leaders and potential investors from India’s capital city which has industrial strengths in advanced manufacturing, digital and tech and professional and business services. The programme will promote the collective strength of the Great North while showcasing the City Region’s distinctive economic and investment proposition. 

 Professor Tim Jones, Vice Chancellor of the University of Liverpool said:

“We are delighted to be officially opening the University of Liverpool Bengaluru campus next week, extending access to our world-class education in a country with the world’s largest adolescent population.  “As a university we are proud of our international role and its intrinsic link to Liverpool. Through our Bengaluru campus we will continue to contribute to the City Region’s international profile and economy and act as a bridge between cities and regions. We look forward to welcoming Mayor Steve Rotheram, who will play a key role in the opening ceremony, and to strengthening our own existing ties with Indian universities and industry, whilst forging new ones.”

The Great North part of the mission is the UK’s first major regional response to the UK-India Free Trade Agreement which came into force on July 15 and includes delegations from Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, the North East, and Cheshire and Warrington as well as the Liverpool City Region.

The mission is being delivered in partnership with the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and comes as DBIST reports total UK-India trade reached £47.9bn in 2025, up 10% on the previous year.

Northern Mayors will be joined by businesses 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.

Events are also planned with Indian travel trade partners to strengthen visitor economy links between India and the North of England. 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 £1bn, creating significant opportunities for destinations across the North of England.

The Great North represents a combined economy worth over £340bn, 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.