Newcastle businesses forge 'vital' link with new Indian consul general

On Monday (May 14), representatives from the North East’s business community welcomed and played host to the new Indian consul general, Dr Aman Puri on a diplomatic visit to the region.

The aim of the trip was to forge strong business relations between the region and the new consul general who was appointed in April 2017 and located in Birmingham.

The consul general, Dr. Aman Puri’s remit is to look after the Midlands, North West and North East regions working on behalf of the Indian High Commission and the Prime Minister of India to forge trade links within the UK and internationally.

The vital part of this role is to highlight India’s trade policies and assist UK businesses with regulations when trading and networking with India.

Establishing a relationship with Dr Aman Puri and the consulate office aims to offer an important link for the North East, its business and educational communities.

Adrian Waddell, chief executive of NE1 Ltd, said: “It is crucial for Newcastle and the wider region to explore international trading opportunities and to ensure that the city is ‘top of mind’ when companies and countries are considering investing.

“Visits like the consul general’s help to expand the reach and horizons of businesses on both sides of the relationship and showcase the knowledge, expertise and opportunities that are available here in the North East.

“To learn first-hand about programmes such as ‘Axis India’ and how regional SMEs can access fast-track business support about doing business in India shows how keen the Indians are to do business with the UK.”

Some of the businesses represented during the visit already have working relations with India and will be looking to develop these links in the future.

Others are exploring developing business links, which will be assisted with the expert help and knowledge the consul general’s office can support with and advise.

The timetable for the consul general’s visit included visits to NE1 Ltd - the business improvement district for central Newcastle - which represents the business interests of 1,400 businesses in Newcastle and to hear its plans for developing the city and maintaining its position as a major European regional city.

Elaine Warburton OBE, chief executive of QuantumMDx Group Ltd (a life science tools and diagnostic company) welcomed Dr Puri to their headquarters in Newcastle and provided a tour of the laboratories to give an insight into the Group’s innovative products.

She commented: “We’re delighted Dr Puri is visiting our headquarters in Newcastle, to see our research and development teams in action.

“As we prepare for commercialisation, India is a very important market for us and we’re cultivating strong links with partners and key opinion leaders in clinical and manufacturing settings.

“We’ve also recently undertaken visits to a range of healthcare settings in India, to ensure our products meet market requirements and learn first-hand from the experiences and knowledge of healthcare professionals working there.”

This is the second visit organised for the consul general to visit Newcastle, the first happened in 2010 when the last new appointment was made.

The visit formed a bond between the consul general’s office, situated in Birmingham and the North East, and has been helpful in developing links and support for local business communities on dealing with issues on passports, visas and Indian regulations.