As we reach the end of the year, we wanted to reflect on the work we have begun since taking on the chairmanship of Conservative Friends of India in May. CF India is the largest affiliate group within the Party and we were clear from the start about the responsibility that places on us.
Our event with former Prime Minister Lord Cameron back in June helped set the tone for what we wanted to achieve. It reminded everyone of the importance of the UK India relationship and the contribution the British Indian community makes to the Party and to public life.
Party Conference in October built on that momentum. Our reception was one of the busiest we have held with over 400 attendees and gave us the chance to engage with members, activists and colleagues from across the Party. We were delighted by the level of engagement and by the opportunity to meet CF India members from every corner of the country.
One of our priorities this year has been to reach communities outside London. Our Diwali celebration in Leicester, which was our first event outside the capital, brought together more than 140 guests and 5 parliamentarians. The response was extremely positive, and we look forward to continuing our support in Leicester, where Shivani Raja MP is having a real impact.
This been an important year for the wider UK India relationship. The Free Trade Agreement, the foundations of which were laid when the Conservatives were in Government, marks a major step forward and is already creating new opportunities for both nations.
We also launched our new Ambassador Programme, which will create a national network of regional ambassadors who will help drive CF India’s message locally and make sure we are active in every part of the country – the response has been overwhelming. We have also been out campaigning across the county and welcomed twenty three new Parliamentary Patrons.
Finally, we want to end with a sincere thank you. Our membership has grown to over 3,500, and our presence and reach on social media is expanding. So thank you to our members, volunteers and parliamentary colleagues for everything you have helped us achieve. We are so proud of the progress made and we are even more excited about what we have planned for 2026.
We will be emailing members in the New Year with our plans for the months ahead.
Thank you, and we wish you all a very Happy Christmas and New Year.
