New Delhi, Feb 3 (KNN) In a bid to become a preferred business partner of India, the UK India Business Council (UKIBC) and UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) are forming a joint panel to help small British companies improve access to the Indian markets.

“We are taking many steps to encourage more British companies do business with India,” said UK Minister for Trade and Investment, Lord Livingston recently.

“To help more small UK companies to get more business in India, UKTI, UKIBC and the British Business Groups across India are all engaged in making it easier for businesses to get the support they need,” said a UKIBC newsletter quoting him.

UKIBC and UKTI have announced that two more business centres will open in Mumbai and Bangalore by the end of this financial year. 

Speaking about the role that UKIBC can play in helping UK companies do business with India, Livingston said, “A vibrant community is forming around opentexport.com - the peer-to-peer export site.  India is one of the most popular country pages on the site, with some good advice posted on the Q & A forum, ranging from clarification on legislative issues to accessing Indian product distributors.”

Further, “The opening of a UK Indian Angel Network (IAN) office, planned for February, will help provide finance to high-potential innovative UK small companies, including those interested in accessing the Indian market,” he added.

UKTI India webinar series was introduced by UKIBC to reach out to UK SMEs in a cost-effective way. This year, over 300 UK businesses have attended the 37 UKTI webinars about doing business in India. 

For the period January - October 2013 the export of goods to India increased by 16 per cent over the same period in 2012 and Indian exports to the UK are up by 6 per cent. (KNN Bureau)