This week, Premier Ewart Brown led a trade delegation from Bermuda to India. He and the delegation are visiting cities in regions across the subcontinent promoting business, education and tourism ties with India.

The Premier began his trip in Mumbai, addressing 2,000 Rotarians. Under the theme 'Go Forth and Serve,' the Premier spoke of his governing philosophy, telling the gathered that "Good government is not principally about steel, glass, bricks and mortar. Good government is about serving people so that they can live, learn, work and play in a sustainable and solid community." He spoke of Bermuda's new National Service Plan, saying that it's just one example of how the PLP Government is "putting its money where its mouth is" by investing in stronger, safer communities.

The Premier continued his jam packed day in Mumbai at the Outbound Travel Mart tourism event where Bermuda was promoted. He also visited the Whistling Woods Film Institute - one of the top film schools in the world - and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that both allows Bermudians to attend the institute at reduced rates and encourages filming in Bermuda.

The Premier concluded his day by meeting with several key businesspeople in Mumbai and as well as executives from a world renowned cardiac clinic.

The Premier then traveled to Chennai in southern India where he continued to push ties between India's large and growing film industry and Bermuda. The Premier noted, "I am here to encourage Indian film shoots to happen in Bermuda which will help us to promote tourism in Bermuda through Indian cinema."

Indian cinema is a profitable and growing global industry and the Bermuda delegation was honoured to meet with some of the industry's leading lights. The Premier met with filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani, director of the largest grossing Indian moving playing in theatres around the world at the moment. Mr. Hirani believes that an Indian movie could be shot in Bermuda and promised to visit Bermuda shortly.

The Premier also promoted Bermuda's IB sector, addressing about 40 CEOs at the Confederation of Indian Industry in the morning and 300 lawyers and accountants at a conference at the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India in the afternoon.

This trade delegation is making important connections and creating new opportunities for Bermuda in the world's largest democracy. Stay tuned for more updates from our jam packed trade mission to India!