TATA Group talks top of the agenda for Street during India and Pakistan visit.
Conservative candidate for West Midlands Mayor Andy Street has met with senior representatives from Jaguar Land Rover parent company Tata Group. Fresh from the announcement that the new Velar Land Rover model will be built exclusively in Solihull, Andy met with Tata Group’s Dr Mukund Rajan, Head of International Operations and Chief Ethics Officer in Mumbai.
Andy has been committed to supporting the growth of JLR and has already lobbied Government over the need to commit to providing solutions to the energy requirements of the company and to allowing the safe testing of driverless vehicles.
Andy said: “Jaguar Land Rover has been one of the West Midlands’ economic success stories, driving our job creation and export success, as well as providing a major boost for large and small companies across the supply chain.
“It’s one of the key reasons the wider West Midlands has a trade surplus with China and the announcement this week about the Velar is another important shot in the arm.
“So far, the relationship between economic partners – LEPs, local authorities, universities and politicians – has been excellent and our collective ambition has matched JLR’s.
“Nevertheless, we recognise some of the issues around infrastructure and skills in the region and how that impacts on the ambitions of JLR and their owners. We know we need to tackle these so investors continue to drive the economic renaissance of the West Midlands.
“This is the very fabric of my campaign to be Mayor of the West Midlands.”
During the two-day visit, Andy met with business leaders in Pakistan and India, to continue to develop economic relations between the two regions.
“The cultural and economic links between the West Midlands and India and Pakistan are clear but we don’t do nearly enough to exploit them,” Andy said. “I am keen that as Mayor we seek to develop the trade opportunities between us.
“One of the key roles of the Mayor of the West Midlands is to be championing the region, flying the flag for our businesses around the world.
“This is why I wanted to visit Mumbai and meet with senior management of Tata Group to better understand their opportunities and to emphasise that our ambition matches theirs.”
