More Than 1,600 Attend Largest UK–India Geopolitical and Economic Gathering in London
More than 1,600 delegates from nearly a dozen countries attended the annual India Week 2026, making it the largest independently organised UK-India conference series. Held across London from the 26th to the 30th of May, the week brought together leading voices from business, policy, media, film and academia for nine sold-out events examining the future of UK-India relations and India’s growing role on the global stage.
A highlight of the week was the prestigious Black-Tie Celebratory Dinner, held on the 29th of May at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, Kensington, which welcomed guests from the worlds of business, politics, media and culture. The evening honoured businessman Manish Tiwari of Here&Now 365 with the Achievement in Business Award, bhangra star H. Dhami with the Achievement in Entertainment Award, and Poonam Sharma of Barclays Eagle Labs with the Achievement in Community Service Award.
Among the featured speakers was Rishini Weeraratne, Editor of The Sun (Daily Mirror), Sri Lanka, who took to the main stage for an engaging 45-minute fireside conversation with Sir Vince Cable, former UK Secretary of State for Business. The discussion centred on Sir Vince Cable's latest book, Eclipsing the West: India and China as Supernations, examining the shifting balance of global power and the rise of Asia's two economic giants. The conversation explored the changing geopolitical landscape, the implications for UK-India economic relations, and the opportunities and challenges facing global trade, diplomacy and international cooperation in an increasingly multipolar world.
The flagship Ideas for India Conference, organised by Bridge India, convened policymakers, business leaders, investors and academics to explore India's role in an increasingly multipolar world. Discussions examined India's strategic position in global affairs, its evolving relationships across South Asia, the international expansion of Indian entrepreneurship, the growing influence of vernacular media, and opportunities to strengthen UK-India collaboration in the creative industries, including film co-production. As part of the conference programme, Rishini Weeraratne moderated a high-profile panel discussion titled, ‘Where Will India's Next Decade of Growth Come From?’ The session brought together leading voices from business, investment and education, including Prof. Selva Pankaj, Group Chairman of Regent Global, and venture capitalist Raja Ganapathy. Panellists explored the key drivers of India's future growth, discussing emerging industries, investment trends, technological innovation, human capital development and the policy reforms required to sustain the country's economic momentum over the coming decade.
The week concluded with a landmark journalism summit organised by Talk Journalism at private members' club The Conduit. For the first time in London, some of India's most influential journalists, including Rajdeep Sardesai, Smita Prakash, Suhasini Haider, Saurabh Dwivedi and Kamlesh Singh, shared insights into the rapidly evolving Indian media landscape.
India Week 2026 also introduced several new initiatives, including expanded Track 2 diplomacy engagements, programmes to help global franchises enter India in partnership with Franchise India, and dedicated opportunities connecting export-oriented Indian businesses with UK distributors.
Other notable speakers and attendees throughout the week included Atul Kochhar, Monisha Advani, Rishi Rich, Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar, Lord Karan Bilimoria, Karim Fatehi, and Stewart Langdon, among others.
Speaking at a joint reception, Karim Fatehi described India Week as, "the leading platform for UK-India trade and investment."
India Week Founder, Pratik Dattani said: “In a difficult geopolitical reality, the role of India on the global stage is changing. India Week is the leading such European non-politically aligned series of events to bring India to the world. Our conversations extend across film, literature, journalism, business and public policy.”
London-based entrepreneur Sukhpal Ahluwalia added: “India Week plays an important role in strengthening the relationship between the UK and India, not just commercially, but culturally and entrepreneurially too. There is still far more both countries can do together, and I want to play an active role in helping to drive that forward.”
As India continues to outpace major economies in growth and resilience amid global uncertainty, India Week remains a leading platform for dialogue, partnership and collaboration between the United Kingdom and India, bringing together influential voices to shape the future of one of the world’s most important bilateral relationships.
