India–UK Business Delegation: Building Bridges of Commerce and Innovation
Mr. Yogesh Gaikwad represented SDC International India Private limited. SDC International in India is represented by Mr Yogesh Gaikwad and Sheetal Jadhav.
The visit of the Indian Business Delegation, marked a significant step in strengthening bilateral trade and innovation partnerships between India and the United Kingdom. Over two days, more than 150 industry leaders from diverse sectors engaged in site visits, roundtables, and plenary sessions designed to showcase India’s industrial strength and collaborative potential.
Day One: Sectoral Engagements and Networking:
The delegation arrived on June 24, with formal proceedings beginning the next morning. Delegates were divided into parallel site visits across London’s premier institutions:
King’s College London: Focused on healthcare, pharma, and life sciences, highlighting the LIHE ecosystem.
– Warwick Manufacturing Group and PAVE UK: Demonstrated cutting-edge work in advanced manufacturing, automotive, and AI.
– London School of Economics: Explored innovation accelerators in climate, health tech, and consumer goods.
– London Gateway: Offered insights into logistics and supply chain management.
Mr. Yogesh Gaikwad was part of the delegates who visited King’s College London:
The learnings from the visit were:
1. There is huge potential in the field of healthcare and pharma chemicals to be tapped by joint research between the two countries
2. Mr. Yogesh Gaikwad emphasized the importance of colour science in field of Human Psychology and instrumentation in the field of medical science. Mr. Prashant Jha from the Kings demonstrated his innovation of a zipped plaster to assist recovery from bone fractures. The building blocks of this material are ‘cured’ by blue light this again supports Mr. Gaikwads thoughts on colour science in medical fields. Mr. Sebastien Ourselin gave a detailed overview of how the Kings conduct innovation and the positive impact of these on the common people in our society. The delegates learned a lot about research and development in health care and ways and means of collaborating with the UK industry.
By afternoon, delegates reconvened at Hotel Taj, St James Court, for sectoral roundtables. Six parallel sessions were held, covering:
– Advanced Manufacturing & Engineering
– Consumer Goods & Textiles
– Energy & Clean Tech
– Healthcare & Life Sciences
– Science, Technology & Innovation
– Financial & Business Services
Mr. Yogesh Gaikwad was part of the ‘Consumer Goods & Textiles ‘ roundtables.
The learning from the round table were:
1. Indian exporters to UK have to target to not only meet the chemical compliance and demands of the brands they have to surpass these limits to create a differentiation between them and other suppliers.
2. UK brands who have quality products and service have to proactively look for distribution network in India to sell their products and services. With import duties crumbling from both sides exporters of both the nations should make gains from this.
3. The Apparel and Garment sector would be benefitted the most, India would have to now lift its infrastructure to global standards and to meet the demands of big brands.
4. Investment in textile garmenting would require financial support from investors and banks to uplift the manufacturing capabilities that meet appreciating quality and compliance demands of Brands
5. Biobased colorants and chemicals from India and UK manufacturers should benefit from the newer compliance norms.
The evening culminated in a networking reception hosted by the High Commission of India, where the High Commissioner delivered opening remarks, followed by a special address from Shri Piyush Goyal. Delegates mingled with UK counterparts over dinner, setting the tone for deeper collaboration.
Day Two: Plenary and debrief, the delegation gathered for the Plenary Session: “India–UK: Partners in Progress.” The session featured: – Report backs from each sectoral roundtable – Ministerial addresses emphasizing India’s role as a global manufacturing hub – A lively Q&A with delegates and UK stakeholders – A vote of thanks underscoring the shared vision of sustainable growth The day concluded with a debriefing session with Shri Piyush Goyal, where delegates reflected on outcomes and charted next steps for sustained engagement.
The delegation represented a cross-section of India’s industrial and entrepreneurial landscape:
– Manufacturing & Engineering: Leaders from Borosil Renewables, All Cargo Logistics, Shiprocket, and Greaves Cotton.
– Consumer Goods & Textiles: Executives from LT Foods, Shahi Exports, RSWM Limited, and Apparel Export Promotion Council.
– Energy & Clean Tech: Visionaries from Vikram Solar, Shakti Pumps, and Recykal.
– Healthcare: Innovators from Yashoda Hospitals, Fourth Frontier, and Healthium Medtech.
– Technology & Innovation: Founders of NeevCloud, DataLeo AI, STEMbotix, and GeoIQ.
– Financial Services: Senior figures from ICICI Bank, Sorin Investments, Dhruva Advisors, and PB Fintech.
This diverse representation underscored India’s ambition to project itself not only as a manufacturing powerhouse but also as a hub for innovation, sustainability, and global services.
The London visit was more than a diplomatic exercise; it was a showcase of India’s industrial dynamism and its readiness to partner with the UK in shaping the future of trade, technology, and sustainability. Mr. Yogesh Gaikwad remarked: “This is not just about business deals—it’s about building trust and long-term collaboration.