GIFT City hosts West Midlands mayoral delegation to advance India-UK financial, innovation partnerships

Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], February 23 (ANI): GIFT City on Monday hosted a high-level mayoral delegation from the West Midlands Combined Authority, United Kingdom, led by HE Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, marking a significant step towards strengthening India-UK collaboration in financial services, innovation and institutional partnerships, a release said.
The delegation included representatives from the West Midlands Growth Company, leading universities such as the University of Warwick, University of Birmingham, Birmingham City University, Aston University and Coventry University -- which has already established an international branch campus in GIFT City -- along with industry leaders from mobility, advanced manufacturing, energy, artificial intelligence and financial services, as well as members of the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and trade bodies. The visit was facilitated in collaboration with India Global Forum.
Discussions focused on deepening bilateral engagement in international financial services, enabling institutional partnerships, and exploring collaboration across digital finance, artificial intelligence, sustainable finance and academic research. The interaction also highlighted opportunities for universities and innovation institutions from the West Midlands to expand their presence and partnerships within GIFT City's ecosystem.
During the visit, GIFT City officials presented the evolution of India's first operational International Financial Services Centre (IFSC), highlighting its globally benchmarked regulatory framework, unified ecosystem and expanding opportunities across banking, capital markets, insurance, asset management, fintech, sustainable finance and global capability centres.
The delegation was briefed on GIFT City's infrastructure readiness, policy stability and its growing role as a gateway for global institutions seeking to access India's markets while operating within an internationally aligned regulatory environment.
Commenting on the visit, Sanjay Kaul, Managing Director and Group CEO, GIFT City, said, "This engagement with the West Midlands mayoral delegation reflects the growing depth of India-UK cooperation across financial services, innovation and education. GIFT City provides a platform for global institutions, universities and enterprises to collaborate, invest and scale international operations from India. We see strong potential to expand partnerships with the West Midlands across financial services, global capability centres, research and emerging technology."
The visit concluded with a networking interaction and strategic discussions aimed at identifying next steps for collaboration, including institutional linkages, investment opportunities and knowledge partnerships. The engagement underscores GIFT City's continued focus on building global partnerships that support cross-border capital flows, talent development and innovation-led growth. (ANI)