First Minister John Swinney is heading to India as part of a week-long trade mission aimed at increasing Scottish exports and attracting new investment.
Swinney will visit Delhi, Ahmedabad and Mumbai between 20 and 27 October, accompanied by representatives from some of Scotland’s biggest export industries.
The delegation includes Salmon Scotland, the Scotch Whisky Association, Scottish Chambers of Commerce, VisitScotland and the higher education sector, as well as food and drink businesses looking to expand in India.
The Scottish Government believes closer links with one of the world’s fastest-growing major economies could create major opportunities for businesses at home.
A study commissioned by the government estimated that opportunities worth more than £3 billion could be available to priority Scottish sectors by 2030.
Those include renewable energy, life sciences, education, technology and digital services, as well as food and drink.
Mr Swinney said India represented a “golden opportunity” for Scotland and argued stronger economic and cultural ties could support jobs, investment and growth.
Before travelling to India, the First Minister is visiting Heathrow Airport’s cold storage operation to see Scottish salmon being prepared for export.
Around £300 million worth of Scottish salmon is exported through Heathrow to international markets every year.
The industry sees India as a potentially important new market, with Scottish salmon already being sold in around 50 countries.
Food and drink is expected to be one of the main themes of the mission.
India is already a significant market for Scotch whisky and the recently introduced UK-India trade agreement has substantially reduced the tariffs faced by producers.
Scottish Government research said Scotch whisky exports to India rose from around £166 million in 2019-20 to £248 million in 2024-25.
The Scotch Whisky Association believes lower tariffs could allow producers of all sizes to significantly increase sales in what is already the world’s largest whisky market.
Salmon producers are also hoping that improved trading conditions will help Scottish businesses reach more Indian consumers.
The First Minister will meet senior business leaders and promote Scottish expertise in renewable energy, education, tourism, culture and the space sector.
Government research has identified particular opportunities for Scottish companies working in offshore and floating wind, hydrogen, carbon capture, precision medicine, artificial intelligence, fintech and cybersecurity.
Scottish Development International, the international arm of Scottish Enterprise, is delivering the trade and investment elements of the programme.
Mr Swinney said the mission was intended to help Scottish businesses build connections and promote Scotland internationally as a place to trade with, invest in, study in and visit.
He said: “India is a growing market, offering a golden opportunity for Scotland’s food and drink businesses, higher education sector, tourism and more.”
The visit will also involve efforts to develop links in education, tourism, sport and culture, building on existing connections between Scotland and India.
The trip comes as Scotland looks to grow international exports following a difficult period for some sectors.
The latest HMRC figures put the current-price value of Scottish goods exports at £31.3 billion in the year to June 2026, down 8.9 per cent on the previous 12 months.
A separate Scottish Government analysis, which adjusts for inflation and excludes oil and gas as well as services, valued international goods exports at £24.5 billion over the same period, a four per cent fall in real terms.
In that measure, drink was Scotland’s joint-largest goods export category at £4.9 billion alongside power-generating machinery, while fish and shellfish exports were worth around £1 billion.