India Global Forum convened the Gujarat Future Forum: Regional Leadership, Global Opportunity at India House, London, as part of the 10th edition of UK-India Week. Senior leaders from Gujarat, the High Commission of India, and India Global Forum discussed investment, innovation, and enterprise opportunities following the ratification of the UK-India Free Trade Agreement.
Gujarat's Role in Regional Delivery
Kartik Pandey, Deputy High Commissioner of India to the UK, opened the programme, highlighting the growing depth of the UK-India strategic partnership and the role of enhanced market access, investment flows, and business partnerships. Manoj Ladwa, Founder and Chairman of India Global Forum, emphasized Gujarat's central role in moving the UK-India relationship from national agreement to regional delivery.
Mamta Verma, Additional Chief Secretary, Industries and Mines, Government of Gujarat, outlined the state's industrial ecosystem, investment-friendly policies, and business-ready infrastructure. She noted Gujarat's exponential growth over the past two decades and stressed the importance of building deeper UK-Gujarat partnerships around shared priorities.
Turning the FTA Dividend into Action
A fireside discussion titled 'The Gujarat Advantage and the FTA Dividend: Turning Opportunity into Action' featured Kanubhai Desai, Hon'ble Minister of Finance, Energy and Petrochemicals, Government of Gujarat. The session explored how Gujarat's manufacturing and export ecosystem can benefit from the UK-India FTA, where UK businesses should focus, and practical steps to translate policy ambition into commercial success.
Kanubhai Desai stated: "Come to Gujarat without fear. Your investments are secure because Gujarat has robust policies, stable governance and a proven track record of delivery over the last two decades. As the UK and India move forward with the Free Trade Agreement, Gujarat is ready to work with UK businesses across manufacturing, energy, finance, technology and exports to build partnerships that create jobs, innovation and shared growth." He added: "The FTA gives businesses on both sides a powerful new platform. Gujarat offers scale, speed and sectoral strength, and we want UK companies to see the state as a trusted gateway to India's growth story."
Manoj Ladwa commented: "Gujarat is not simply another Indian state seeking investment. It is one of India's great engines of growth, built on enterprise, infrastructure, exports and delivery. The UK brings capital, law, finance, research and market access. Gujarat brings scale, infrastructure, entrepreneurship, policy focus and industrial depth. Bring these together, and the opportunity is practical, investable and immediate." He added: "The FTA has opened the door, but agreements do not deliver themselves. The task now is to move from celebration to implementation, and from policy ambition to commercial reality."
A Decade of UK-India Week
The Forum concluded with remarks from Minister Desai, reiterating Gujarat's record of policy stability and investor confidence. A special Welcome Reception hosted by the High Commission of India followed, bringing together leaders across business, government, and culture to reflect on a decade of progress and shape the next phase of UK-India cooperation.
The event follows the launch of the Gujarat-West Midlands Steering Committee, chaired by Manoj Ladwa, as part of India Global Forum's work to strengthen the UK-India corridor through regional partnerships. Together, these engagements underline a central theme of UK-India Week 2026: that the next phase of the bilateral relationship will be defined by delivery, regional leadership, and practical economic outcomes.
UK-India Week 2026 continues with the Capital & Future Frontiers Forum on 25 June 2026, featuring Hon Piyush Goyal, Minister of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, and Rt Hon Peter Kyle, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, followed by the UK-India Awards 2026.
