India’s Republic Day and UK–India Investment

The 76th Republic Day of India was celebrated at Guildhall in London in an event hosted by the High Commissioner of India. UKABC President Taha Coburn-Kutay attended and met H.E. Vikram Doraiswami, exchanging perspectives on stronger business collaboration between India and the United Kingdom.

The conversation included the potential to bring international sporting properties in motorsport, football, golf and cricket to India, alongside investment in the circular economy connected with major sporting activity. Healthcare, renewable energy and fast-moving consumer goods were also identified as sectors with significant potential. The event brought together a strong public and institutional audience.

Those present included Wes Streeting MP, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care; the Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle; and Seema Malhotra MP. The gathering demonstrated the value of national celebrations as a setting for relationship-building alongside their cultural and diplomatic significance.

UKABC’s role in this work is to connect people who can turn broad international ambition into practical conversations. That means helping businesses understand the institutional landscape, introducing relevant expertise and keeping discussions focused on realistic next steps. The Council’s approach is based on long-term relationships rather than one-off visibility.

For companies considering cross-border activity, the value of these discussions lies in context. Market opportunity is shaped by regulation, local networks, sector knowledge, finance, talent and the ability to identify credible partners. A useful introduction can shorten that learning process, but it must be supported by preparation and follow-up.

UKABC therefore encourages businesses to be clear about their objectives, evidence and capacity before entering a new market. The wider significance is the growing range of UK–international collaboration. Education, technology, sustainability, sport, tourism, healthcare, culture and investment increasingly overlap.

A conversation that begins in one sector can reveal opportunities in another, particularly when public institutions, universities, entrepreneurs and established businesses share perspectives.

Sudeep Sakalle, Vice President of UKABC, said: “International relationships become valuable when they move from general goodwill to a clear introduction, a practical opportunity and responsible follow-up.” The comment reflects UKABC’s emphasis on building an organised record of activity while ensuring that public reporting remains accurate and useful.

UKABC will continue to use roundtables, meetings and focused events to help organisations understand opportunities and meet relevant people. Businesses interested in these areas are encouraged to approach the Council with a concise explanation of their objectives, target market and the type of relationship or support they need. The next stage is not simply to increase the number of meetings, but to improve their quality.

Clear agendas, relevant participants and honest expectations help avoid ceremonial activity without an outcome. UKABC’s public Stories archive supports that objective by recording why an engagement mattered, who or what it connected and how the subject fits within a longer programme of international relationship-building. It also gives businesses and institutions a useful starting point before approaching the Council.

Each opportunity will require its own commercial, legal and operational assessment; the Council’s role is to help create informed connections, not to replace professional due diligence. This disciplined approach is particularly important when collaboration crosses jurisdictions, sectors and cultures.

It enables partners to build confidence gradually, test assumptions and decide whether a conversation should progress into a delegation, investment discussion, institutional partnership or another focused programme.