Kolkata: A UK trade delegation, focused solely on the technology sector, will visit Kolkata for the first time on November 18-19, the British Deputy High Commission announced in a statement on Friday.

The tech delegation consists of 17 leading UK organizations, all the organizations are pioneer of technologically advanced innovation in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and semiconductors.

The statement said that this will be the first-ever technology delegation from the European country.

British Deputy High Commissioner to East and North-East India, Andrew Fleming, expressed, “I am delighted to welcome a trade delegation from the UK focused exclusively on the technology sector.” He added that the visit highlights the strengthening ties between the UK and India in the tech sector, particularly the current and emerging opportunities in East and Northeast India.

“I believe interactions with state governments and industry will foster new partnerships and strengthen our collaboration, especially in the AI and semiconductor industries,” the senior diplomat said.

The British Deputy High Commission Kolkata, in collaboration with IT industry body National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM) and city-based firm Asterix Innovations which gives consultancy inputs to Indian and overseas companies, will host a series of high-level activities, including roundtable discussions, business-to-business (B2B) meetings and networking sessions with Indian stakeholders.

These engagements are designed to identify new opportunities for collaboration, research, innovation and investment, paving the way for future joint ventures and expanding the tech partnership between the two nations, the statement said.

“We aim to forge strategic partnerships between the UK companies and Indian stakeholders…The visit will provide a platform for the UK businesses to engage with regional governments and industry leaders, creating the potential for collaboration in areas such as AI, semiconductor research, development, and manufacturing,” it added.

(with agency inputs)