Scotland First Minister Swinney To Lead Trade Delegation To India To Strengthen Ties

London: Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney on Tuesday announced plans to lead his first trade delegation to India to promote the economic interests of the devolved region of the United Kingdom.

The visit, to cover Delhi, Ahmedabad and Mumbai between October 20 and 27, is aimed at strengthening partnerships in sectors including food and drink, renewable energy, education, tourism, culture and space.

Swinney will be joined by representatives from Salmon Scotland, the Scotch Whisky Association, Scottish Chambers of Commerce, VisitScotland and the higher education sector as part of a delegation of companies seeking to expand their presence in the Indian market.

“Scotland's food and drink producers have spent years building relationships in India. This visit is about turning those relationships into real opportunities for businesses, ensuring Scotland is well placed to benefit from growing trade and investment links with one of the world's fastest-growing economies," said Swinney.

"Scotland is open for business and one of the best places in the world to invest. Working more closely with India will create new opportunities for trade, investment and economic growth that support jobs and prosperity across Scotland.

“We have a rich history with India and this visit is also an opportunity to deepen connections through sport, education and our shared Commonwealth ties to support tourism, cultural exchange and create lasting partnerships that benefit both countries,” he said.

The visit next month comes as new analysis indicated that the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) could create more than 3 billion pounds of opportunities for Scotland's priority sectors by 2030, including energy, life sciences, education, technology and digital services, and food and drink.

“We are delighted to be joining the First Minister on this important trade mission to India, which is one of the world’s fastest-growing economies and a crucial market for many businesses and sectors across Scotland," said Charandeep Singh, Chief Executive of Scottish Chambers of Commerce.

“In recent years, Scottish Chambers of Commerce has been working hard to strengthen the Scotland-India business corridor through our partnerships with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM).

“We hope this visit will build on these connections and foster new relationships that will help unlock further growth opportunities, including those made possible by the UK-India free trade agreement,” said Singh.

According to the Scottish First Minister’s office, the visit forms part of a wider effort to deepen the relationship between Scotland and India through economic co-operation, cultural exchange, tourism, sport and academic collaboration.

“India is the largest whisky market in the world, and the Scottish government’s visit to India is a good opportunity to explore the market’s considerable potential for export growth over the coming years, for Scotch Whisky producers of all sizes," said Mark Kent, Chief Executive, Scotch Whisky Association.

Tavish Scott, Chief Executive of Salmon Scotland, added: “This is an important visit to a significant market for salmon from Scotland and I thank the First Minister for his time and commitment to this endeavour.

“The trade deal between the UK and Indian governments is very helpful to our ability to find new customers in an exciting marketplace and I look forward to the First Minister’s involvement in that journey.” The trade and investment elements of the programme are being delivered by Scottish Development International, the international arm of Scottish Enterprise.

“India represents a significant opportunity for Scottish companies as one of the world's fastest-growing economies," said Reuben Aitken, Managing Director – International at Scottish Enterprise.

“Working alongside the Scottish Government and Team Scotland partners, we are delivering a programme that showcases Scotland's key sector strengths, reinforces business connections and supports new opportunities in this dynamic market,” he said.