A delegation from Kerala is arriving in London next week for the first ever UK-Kerala Business Meet in the British Parliament. 

The 18 member delegation includes Ministers, MPs, MLAs, diplomats and Business leaders who will present upcoming infrastructure projects and associated activities in Kerala. 

This special event, to be held on 24th November 2011, is organised by the UK-Kerala Business Forum in association with Kerala Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The event is also supported by UK Trade and Industry (UKTI), UK India Business Council(UKIBC), British Deputy High Commission, Chennai and Kottayam Pravasi Federation. The meeting will be chaired by Virendra Sharma MP, chairperson of Kerala Business Forum. 

The UK- Kerala Business Meet is first of its kind for Kerala in the United Kingdom and is centered on bringing investment and world class technolgy for advancing Kerala’s development projects such as roads, rail, ports etc. 

The delegation from Kerala includes Ramesh Chennithala,  President of Kerala Pradesh Congress Party, ministers Thirvanchoor Radhakirshnan, Shibu Baby John, T P Srinivasan, Former UN and US Ambassador, Anto Antony MP, Jose K Mani MP, Joseph Vazakkan MLA, Mons Joseph MLA, Abdul Rahman Randathani MLA, T.U. Kuruvila MLA,  and business leaders from various sectors. 

In the morning session, delegates from Kerala will interact with members of the House of Lords and House of Commons. The theme for the morning discussion is ” Kerala – India’s Emerging Investment Destination”. 

Three prominent Malayalee Business Personalities will be honoured for their part in creating employment, enhancing trade in Kerala and professionalism in their own respective field. 

The afternoon session will be a round table meet with selected British infrastructure companies.  The session will give a brief overview of developments projects coming up in Kerala and discussion on areas of Infrastructure, Health, Waste management, Education, Low cost housing in urban and Villages, Power & Energy, IT etc. 

 The evening networking session includes a grand Dinner. Kerala Business Forum members are invited to join the Indian team and other delegates for the evening session. The fee for this evening session is £30 for members and £50 for non members. 

Both sessions in the parliament are strictly for delegetes from Kerala and UK infrastructure companies. 

The visiting delegation will also join an Infrastructure Funding Conference organised by the High Commission of India London on 25th November, which will give an indepth analysis of opportunities and challenges in infrastructure sectors.  

India requires investments in the range of USD 1.7 trillion in the coming decade of which USD 1 trillion will be needed in the next 5-6 years to build new highways, ports, airports, energy plants and transmission grids, and for the development of industrial townships and regeneration of cities. This conference provides an opportunity to understand the current environment for infrastructure investment in India and hear from leading financial sector experts on instruments for infrastructure financing including Infrastructure Debt Funds and the development of the corporate debt market.