West Yorkshire leaders from business, policy and academia will convene in Leeds on Thursday (16 October) to examine the gender chapter of the UK‑India Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and its potential to empower women in trade.
The half‑day event, hosted by Womble Bond Dickinson with support from West Yorkshire Combined Authority, is set to bring together negotiators, legal experts, historians and local exporters to discuss how the FTA’s gender provisions can support local businesses, strengthen the historical links between West Yorkshire and India, and consider the work needed to make trade truly inclusive.
The high level gathering also serves as timely prelude to next month’s Northern Trade Delegation to India, led by ISS Airview, for which limited places are still available.
Sharon Jandu OBE, who will deliver the opening remarks at Thursday’s event titled “Women, Trade and the UK‑India Future: A West Yorkshire Perspective.”
The eight-day trip will connect delegates with senior policymakers, industry leaders, entrepreneurs and trade facilitators across India. Participants will gain first-hand insights into market entry strategies, regulatory frameworks and sector-specific opportunities under the new FTA - ensuring they are not only prepared to navigate India’s dynamic business environment but positioned to thrive within it.
Thursday’s event, titled “Women, Trade and the UK‑India Future: A West Yorkshire Perspective” will begin with remarks from Sharon Jandu OBE, Director of Strategic Partnerships and External Engagements for India, NPH Ethnic Minority Business and Policy Forum.
She will be followed by Vine Pemberton Joss, a leading women’s suffrage historian, who will deliver a keynote lecture on Dr Edith Pechey, Yorkshire’s first female doctor and her India legacy.
Next on the agenda is a discussion chaired by Tania Arora, Partner, Baker McKenzie, with panellists including Kate Thornley, Chief UK‑India FTA Negotiator, Department for Business and Trade; Clair Gammage, Professor of International Trade Law, University of Bristol; Fiona Conor, Managing Director, Trust Electric Heating; Anna Parker, Head of International Sales, Paxman Scalp Cooling; and Nidhi Mani Tripathi, Chief UK‑India FTA Negotiator, Indian High Commission London.
The morning will conclude with a closing contribution from Rose Smalley‑Gordon, Managing Associate, Womble Bond Dickinson, before lunch and networking.
Sharon Jandu said: “This event is about turning commitments into transactions, enabling women founders and exporters across West Yorkshire to benefit from the UK‑India relationship.
“The FTA’s gender provisions reframe trade policy by recognising that trade is not gender neutral. Commitments on paper must become concrete, measurable support that entrepreneurs can use to export, scale and create sustainable jobs. West Yorkshire’s cultural and commercial links with India, its deep diaspora networks and a growing base of women‑led firms make our region exceptionally well placed to make that happen.”
Vine Pemberton Joss said: “Dr Edith Pechey’s life across Yorkshire and India reminds us that lasting institutional change is both possible and necessary if trade is to be truly inclusive.”
Delegates and stakeholders wishing to attend Thursday’s event or interested in joining the Northern Trade Delegation to India from 12–20 November 2025 are invited to contact Sharon Jandu at sharon@issfreeports.com.