Gandhinagar, Feb 23 (IANS) A high-level delegation from the West Midlands Combined Authority met the Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel in Gandhinagar during its first visit to the state following the recent India–UK trade agreement.

The delegation, led by West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker, on Sunday, discussed cooperation in higher education, green economy and electric vehicles, skill development, artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing.

The visiting members also explored potential collaboration in developing sports infrastructure and the broader sports ecosystem ahead of the Commonwealth Games scheduled to be held in Gujarat in 2030.

During the meeting, CM Patel said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India had “emerged as a trusted friend to nations across the world”.

He added that Gujarat had benefited significantly from policy-driven governance and sustained investment outreach since the launch of the Vibrant Gujarat initiative in 2003.

“Gujarat has evolved into a global investment destination through sector-specific policies and consistent reforms,” the Chief Minister said.

Referring to the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat-2047’, he added that the state was prepared to take the lead in emerging sectors, including green growth, and was ready to extend full cooperation in areas of partnership identified by the UK side.

Members of the delegation expressed interest in attracting UK expertise in areas such as advanced manufacturing, clean energy and university-led innovation.

They also extended an invitation to Chief Minister Patel and a senior delegation from Gujarat to visit the West Midlands in connection with preparations for the 2030 Commonwealth Games.

Chief Minister Patel proposed the formation of a joint working group comprising officials from Gujarat and the West Midlands to coordinate efforts and accelerate collaboration.

He suggested that iNDEXTb be designated as the nodal agency for this purpose and invited the foreign delegation to participate in the upcoming Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference and the Vibrant Summit-2027.

The delegation included senior representatives from the West Midlands Growth Company, E.ON Energy Infrastructure Solutions, the University of Warwick Innovation District, the University of Birmingham, GEDU, Aston University and the UKIFF India Global Forum.

Senior state government officials, including Additional Chief Secretary (Industries) Mamta Verma and Industries Commissioner P. Swaroop, were present at the meeting.

–IANS

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