Ahmedabad, February 23 Gujarat's GIFT City hosted a high-level delegation of mayors from the West Midlands Combined Authority of the United Kingdom on Monday. Discussions took place on strengthening bilateral engagement in international financial services, among other areas.
The visit marked a significant step towards strengthening collaboration between India and the UK in financial services, innovation, and institutional partnerships, according to an official statement.
The high-level delegation, led by West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker, discussed strengthening bilateral engagement in international financial services, facilitating institutional partnerships and collaboration in digital finance, AI, and sustainable finance, as well as academic research, the statement said.
"The interaction also highlighted opportunities for universities and innovation institutions in the West Midlands to expand their presence and partnerships within GIFT City's ecosystem," it added.
Sanjay Kaul, Managing Director and Group CEO of GIFT City, said that the engagement reflects the growing depth of India-UK cooperation in 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 in financial services, global capability centers, research, and emerging technologies," Kaul said.
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 in banking, capital markets, insurance, asset management, fintech, sustainable finance, and global capability centers, the statement said.
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, it added.
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.
