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UK Trade Permanent Secretary visits India to bolster trade ties

The Permanent Secretary of the UK’s Department for International Trade, Antonia Romeo visits New Delhi and Mumbai, 20 to 22 September.

This was published under the 2016 to 2019 May Conservative government
Antonia Romeo

In her first visit to India as Permanent Secretary, Antonia will meet Indian officials and business figures to discuss strengthening the trade and investment relationship between the UK and India.

Permanent Secretary Antonia Romeo said:

I’m delighted to visit India for the first time as Permanent Secretary.

India is already a key commercial and trading partner for the UK. Our 2 countries enjoy a close relationship and as the UK prepares to leave the European Union (EU) we want these ties to grow even stronger.

I look forward to meeting Indian policy makers, business leaders and entrepreneurs, and to learn how our 2 countries can make the most of new opportunities in the coming years.

In New Delhi, Romeo met Ramesh Abhishek, Secretary of Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion and discussed the joint working group with India on improving ease of doing business.

She will also meet Rita Teaotia, Commerce Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry to discuss furthering UK-India trade and investment relations now and in the future when the UK leaves the EU in 2019.

The Permanent Secretary will address a gathering of UK and Indian business at a trade roundtable at the Confederation of Indian Industries, to discuss partnerships and investment opportunities for Indian businesses in the UK.

Antonia Romeo will meet with Divya Kalia, CEO of Bikxie Pink - a bike taxi service for female customers in Delhi, using British ‘what3words’ technology to help pinpoint the correct pick-up and drop-off points for their journey. Bikxie Pink is the first Indian app to build in the what3words British navigation technology, which provides every 3m x 3m square location a unique and memorable 3 - word address.

The Permanent Secretary will then travel to Mumbai on 22 September to hold high-level meetings with senior business leaders.

In Mumbai, she will visit Bombay Stock Exchange, Asia’s oldest stock exchange and ring the closing bell to end the day’s trading session.

Antonia Romeo will meet with Indian entrepreneurs and share details of the UK’s success in innovative products and technologies, is a key priority area for partnership between the two countries.

The Permanent Secretary will also hold discussions with senior management at IMG Reliance to examine collaboration opportunities in the sports and creative industries.

Further information:

Antonia Romeo is Permanent Secretary of the Department for International Trade.

Media

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Published 21 September 2017