A delegation of senior civic and business leaders from across the North of England is set to travel to India this October to strengthen ties in trade, investment, innovation, culture, and tourism.

Taking place from 12 to 16 October 2026, the mission marks the first time regional representatives will travel under "The Great North" banner. The delegation includes figures from York and North Yorkshire, the Liverpool City Region, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, the North East, and Cheshire and Warrington.

The mission, announced as the UK-India Free Trade Agreement comes into effect, represents the UK’s first joint mayoral-led mission to the country. The agreement is projected to increase annual bilateral trade by £25.5bn by 2040. According to the Department for Business and Trade, total UK-India trade reached £47.9bn in 2025, a 10% increase on the previous year.

The North of England encompasses a combined economy worth over £340bn, with 1.1 million businesses and 16 million residents. Regional strengths include advanced manufacturing, life sciences, digital technology, clean energy, and professional services.

"The North is stronger when we work together, and we’re ready to take the commitment we made and put it into action with a joint trade mission to the world’s fastest growing economy," said David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire.

"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."

Business and Trade Secretary Peter Kyle added: "We want the benefits of our ambitious trade deals to be felt in every part of the country. It is fantastic to see Northern leaders immediately seizing the opportunities that our deal with India, coming into effect in July, will offer, and communities should be excited for the real investment, jobs and growth coming to their area."

The delegation also aims to boost the visitor economy. With India being one of the UK’s fastest-growing outbound travel markets, annual visits currently exceed 600,000 and are forecast to reach one million by 2030.

"Our ties with India run deep, stretching across our universities, businesses, communities and cricket clubs," said West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin. "Devolution has handed the North of England a once-in-a-generation chance to be stronger than the sum of its parts. By standing together, we can show the world just how Great the North is, championing our region abroad to put more money in people's pockets back home."

South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard noted the importance of the economic focus, stating: "The Great North trade mission to India is a chance to bring investment into our communities and turn it into decent, well-paid jobs for people here. By going to India together as the North of England, we’re showing the sheer scale of what we’ve got to offer and making a clear case for why investors should back our regions."

Kim McGuinness, North East Mayor and Chair of The Great North, said: "The Great North was created to do something the North of England has rarely had the opportunity to do before: come together with a single voice and tell our story to the world. This mission to India is a powerful example of that vision in action. It is the North taking control of its own destiny, coming together to build relationships, attract investment and create opportunities that will benefit our people, businesses and communities for generations to come."

The mission will be delivered in partnership with the Department for Business and Trade and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.