Scotland's First Minister John Swinney to lead trade delegation to India in October

Scottish First Minister John Swinney is set to lead a delegation to India from October 20 to 27, visiting Delhi, Ahmedabad and Mumbai. Accompanying him will be senior figures from Salmon Scotland, the Scotch Whisky Association, the Scottish Chambers of Commerce, VisitScotland and the higher-education sector. The mission seeks to deepen economic links in areas such as whisky, salmon, renewable energy, education, tourism, culture and space, turning long-standing relationships into tangible business deals.

Swinney emphasized Scotland’s openness to investment and the potential of India’s fast-growing market. The visit comes shortly after the UK-India free-trade agreement entered into force, halving Indian import duties on Scotch whisky. Industry leaders like Mark Kent and Tavish Scott highlighted the importance of the market for future growth.