
The UK-India trade agreement has now entered into force, marking one of the most significant moments in the modern economic relationship between the two countries. The cultural, political and social ties between both nations run deep, but this agreement solidifies a long-term, practical economic foundation.

Investing in emerging economies is often viewed through the lens of risk: political risk, currency risk, regulatory risk and execution risk. But for Rupin Banker, co-founder of Strategic Global Alliance, the focus on short-term risk can obscure the underlying opportunity in economies with strong growth potential and substantial infrastructure needs.

India’s infrastructure ambition is no longer in doubt. The Union Budget earlier this year made that clear, with public capital expenditure for this year at ₹12.2 lakh crore, up from the previous budget estimate. The message from New Delhi is consistent: infrastructure remains central to growth, jobs, logistics efficiency and India’s competitiveness.

The outbreak of war in the Middle East has done more than shake global energy markets and political alliances. It has exposed how vulnerable many emerging economies remain to shocks that begin far from their shores but quickly arrive through increased fuel and food costs, currency pressure and investor sentiment.