MUMBAI: Regional businesses from the UK met with leaders of Indian industry at the FICCI IIFA Global Business Forum in Leeds on Saturday.

Hosted at Leeds Royal Armories as part of the International India Film Academy weekend – which will showcase the region to a global audience of over 400 million – the business forum attracted international names including steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal and the High Commissioner of India, Kamalesh Sharma.

The significance of this new partnership was reiterated by Yorkshire Forward Chief Executive Tom Riordan as he ‘pitched’ the region’s economic assets to the international audience and urged delegates to take the opportunity to begin building partnerships that would support both sides future economic growth.

Riordan also joined Ambika Sharma, Assistant Secretary General of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) in signing a Memorandum of Understanding between the region and India, committing both sides to building partnerships over the next three years.

The MOU commits both FICCI and Yorkshire Forward to offering mutual assistance and information on opportunities for investment in both Yorkshire and Humber and India.  It also states that the two organisations will arrange a programme of activity – including trade missions to both nations – that will help businesses further develop international partnerships.

The forum, which attracted representatives from key regional and Indian players including; Deloitte and Touche, DLA Piper, Petronet LNG and Fortis Healthcare, also involved workshops on key shared areas of strength in Yorkshire and Humber and India – two of which focused on environmental technologies and healthcare technologies.