A 37-member West Midlands delegation, led by Mayor Richard Parker and officials including Manoj Ladwa and Neil Rami, visited Ahmedabad to strengthen economic, cultural, and educational ties, coinciding with the inaugural Commonwealth Connect Forum on sports-led innovation.
The delegation met Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel in Gandhinagar to discuss collaboration in higher education, green economy and EVs, skill development, sports infrastructure, AI, and advanced manufacturing. Patel proposed a joint working group and invited the team to support the 2030 Commonwealth Games and upcoming Vibrant Gujarat events.
GIFT City also hosted the delegation to boost India-UK cooperation in financial services, innovation, and institutional partnerships. Discussions covered international, digital, and sustainable finance, AI, and academic research, with opportunities for West Midlands universities. Sanjay Kaul, MD & CEO of GIFT City, said the visit highlights growing collaboration and a platform to scale operations from India.
Meanwhile, the Commonwealth Connect Forum at Veer Savarkar Stadium brought together experts to plan Ahmedabad’s 2030 Commonwealth Games and 2036 Olympics as engines for long-term economic growth. Manoj Ladwa, India Global Forum chairman, called the Games a “growth lever,” emphasising AI use and human capital development. Gujarat Principal Secretary Ashwini Kumar highlighted the state’s renewable energy initiatives and power-surplus status.
A West Midlands delegation led by Mayor Richard Parker shared lessons from Birmingham 2022, which generated £1.2 billion, 22,000 jobs, and reinvested £70 million into community projects. Experts agreed the Games’ success will be measured by lasting legacy infrastructure such as transport and digital grids, connecting economic planning, sustainability, and innovation with global collaboration.
