Sadiq Khan to visit India with ‘London is open’ message

As firms closely monitor Brexit-related developments, mayor Sadiq Khan has been keen to ensure the UK’s exit from the EU does not adversely impact London’s reputation as a centre of business.

Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London whose grandparents were born in India and whose parents migrated to the UK from Pakistan, on Tuesday announced his first visit to India to promote trade links with the capital city currently under a cloud due to Brexit.

File photo of London mayor Sadiq Khan, who is scheduled to visit India by the end of the year. (Reuters)

As London-based companies closely monitor Brexit-related developments, Khan (Labour Party) has been keen to ensure that the UK’s exit from the European Union does not adversely impact the city’s global reputation as a centre of business and other spheres, including education. Besides India, he will also visit Pakistan.

The India visit, likely to be scheduled in December, is primarily focussed on trade, but Khan will also interact with Bollywood actors. He will visit Mumbai, New Delhi and Amritsar, accompanied by Indore-origin Rajesh Agarwal, the city’s deputy mayor for business.

Khan said: “As someone whose grandparents were born in India, and whose parents moved to London from Pakistan, I feel a deep affinity for the subcontinent. But what excites me most about this trip is that I know it can deliver real benefits for Londoners.

“This is a really important mission as there are so many areas in which London can work with its counterparts across India and Pakistan. Not only in business but in tackling some of the biggest challenges we all face – such as air pollution and climate change.”

Khan said he was “passionate about showing that my city will always be open to engaging with partners from around the world, and I look forward to strengthening the bonds between London and our friends in India and Pakistan later this year”.