Speaking at the CBI’s (www.cbi.org.uk) recent India Banquet — an annual event that brings together senior figures from across the Indian and British business and political communities — the leader of Britain’s largest business group told guests that both countries should work hard to seize the opportunities of Brexit.

Commenting on trade between the United Kingdom and India, Paul Drechsler said: “The UK is now the second-largest G20 investor in India, and India is the third-largest investor here; but when it comes to trade, the picture looks less rosy.

By last year, as India’s international trade expanded, we had fallen to 12th place, which is not good enough. To reverse this trend and get bilateral trade back to where it should be, we need government and business to work together, both in the UK and in India.

“The CBI has now launched its own Trade 2030 campaign, which will see us working with our members and experts in the field of international trade, helping to guide the thinking over the months and years ahead.”