BVI Financial Mission Builds Strong Mumbai Ties
Junior Minister Lorna Smith has reported positive outcomes from the BVI delegation's inaugural financial services trade mission to Mumbai. The visit included high-level talks with key Indian regulators and industry leaders to promote the territory's corporate and investment offerings.
Junior Minister for Financial Services and Economic Development Lorna Smith has expressed strong optimism regarding the relationships established during the Virgin Islands delegation's recent visit to Mumbai, which served as a major stop on the territory's inaugural financial services trade mission to India.
Smith described the Mumbai engagements as an exceptionally productive leg of the multi-city tour. While in India's commercial capital, the BVI delegation conducted strategic meetings with prominent regulatory bodies and business institutions, including the Securities and Exchange Board of India, the National Stock Exchange of India, the Bombay Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Council of EU Chambers of Commerce in India.
According to the Junior Minister, the discussions offered valuable opportunities to reinforce institutional ties, explore mutual cooperation, and identify fresh avenues for bilateral trade and investment. Smith noted that engaging with a broad spectrum of sectors at the EU Chamber, spanning pharmaceuticals, film production, and legal services, demonstrated significant potential for future commercial partnerships.
In addition to official bilateral meetings, the delegation hosted the dedicated Mumbai Roadshow, drawing nearly 300 business professionals. The event provided a platform for more than 15 Virgin Islands financial services practitioners and firms to present the territory's world-class offerings in corporate structuring, private wealth management, investment funds, and cross-border transactions.
Smith also delivered a keynote address at Money Expo India 2026, held at the Jio World Convention Centre. Billed as one of the region's largest gatherings for trading, investment, and financial technology, the expo attracted over 15,000 participants and more than 3,000 investors. In her remarks, Smith highlighted how the Virgin Islands' robust legal and financial infrastructure can support India's rapidly growing international business and technology ecosystem.
The Mumbai stop formed part of an extensive eight-day mission across India that also included visits to New Delhi, GIFT City, and Bengaluru. The initiative builds upon a year-long outreach campaign conducted across India in 2025 through the BVI Government Representative Office in Hong Kong, designed to diversify the territory's economic connections and reinforce its position as a leading global financial centre.
Primary source: BVI News