Over 100 jobs to be created in Scotland after trade deal with India

More than 100 new jobs are set to be created in Scotland as a result of Sir Keir Starmer’s two-day trade mission to India.

The Prime Minister met his counterpart, Narendra Modi, on Tuesday to promote the recently signed trade deal, said to be worth £4.8bn each year to the British economy.

The UK Government has said that Indian financiers have pledged to invest £10.4m into a Scottish AI software platform over the next five years.

Microbira is expected to revolutionise infection diagnostics and aid in combating antimicrobial resistance, and the new investment will create 100 jobs in Edinburgh and Glasgow.

The trade mission also helped deliver investments for Scottish-based electrical engineering company, Allenwest, which has secured £16m worth of business from Indian metal and mining companies.

Trinity Infra and Projects, a construction and property development company, will also create 25 jobs in Glasgow.

Across the UK, the trade mission has seen 64 Indian companies invest over £1bn in some of Britain’s businesses, creating 6,800 jobs across all nations and regions.

“These investments, which will create more than 100 new jobs across Glasgow and Edinburgh, are an unmistakeable example of how the UK Government is driving home the benefits of our historic trade deal with India for Scotland,” Scottish secretary Douglas Alexander said.

“These announcements are fantastic news for Scotland and will help put money directly into the pockets of hardworking Scots.”

Business and trade secretary Peter Kyle said: “India is now the fourth-biggest economy in the world, and by investing billions of pounds to back thousands of jobs from sectors as diverse as AI, education, and financial services shows the scale of opportunity this presents for Scottish businesses.

“Their success in India will only grow as our new trade deal galvanises economic partnership, brings our two countries even closer together, and ultimately delivers economic growth right across Scotland.”