Horn Ok Please | UK Design Opportunity in India Report Launch

The long-awaited UK-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA) came into effect on 15 July 2026 and the DBA has been commissioned by the Government’s Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (DBIST) to advise on the opportunities this brings the UK design sector.

Join us for the launch of our report Horn OK Please on 1 October. It advises on the opportunities created by the UK-India Free Trade Agreement, and design’s role in maximising shared prosperity.

In partnership with Mark Hannant, Co-Founder of DBA member business Indigo CPO, DBA Chief Executive Deborah Dawton went on a fact-finding trade mission to India, focusing on the areas of Mumbai and Ahmedabad - meeting UK businesses already active in the region, Indian companies with international footprints, Indian institutions that advocate design skills and design businesses operating in India.

Part of the DBIST request was for a report that

1. Highlight the opportunities of India as both a market and a source of talent

2. Show how design effectiveness contributes to cultural fluency

3. Gather existing export and cross-border success stories

4. Identify opportunities worthy of immediate attention

5. Encourage cross-cultural exchange through networks and bi-lateral relationships.

At the event, Deborah and Mark will talk thorough what they found on the trade mission who they met, what's happening on the ground in Mumbai and Ahmedabad, and what it means for UK design businesses thinking about India, whether that's as a market or a source of talent.

Date: 1 October (speeches at 6.30pm)
Venue: Modern India Lab, International Centre for Sustainability, 11–15 St Mary at Hill, London, EC3R 8EE

There'll be time for questions, and a chance to meet others looking at the same opportunity.

If you're already working with India, thinking about it, or just want to understand what the FTA changes for the design industry and design businesses, come along.