The UK India Business Council has signed an MoU with West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation (WBIDC), to focus on accelerating industrial development in the state. This partnership between the UKIBC and West Bengal government will help to boost business and industrial development in the state by proactively developing the business environment and strengthening collaboration with British businesses in the state, a senior official said.
The MoU was signed last week at a virtual roundtable between WBIDC managing director, Vandana Yadav and UKIBC managing director, Kevin McCole in the presence of Nick Low, British Deputy High Commissioner in Kolkata. “I am delighted to be signing this MoU, deepening the UKIBC partnership….. I have to say that I have never been more impressed by the dynamism and determination of political and bureaucratic leadership. This is one of the reasons why the UKIBC is so keen to engage and why so many UK businesses want to enter and expand their investment in West Bengal,” McCole said.
UK businesses such as BT, Diageo, Chivas Brothers, PwC, HSBC and Standard Chartered are already significant investors in West Bengal. The roundtable also examined measures to support businesses in a post Covid-19 world. What was clear is that governments and industry are looking beyond the current crisis to re-shape and strengthen economies, supply chains, socio-economic development and business norms post Covid-19, a statement said.
