Four-city mission will connect BVI leaders with hundreds of C-suite executives and deepen diplomatic, regulatory and commercial ties
The Government of the Virgin Islands is entering the final stages of preparation for the jurisdiction’s inaugural Financial Services Trade Mission to India, a landmark initiative designed to position the British Virgin Islands (BVI) as a strategic partner in India’s accelerating global expansion.
Scheduled for 24 to 31 August 2026, the mission will take the BVI delegation to New Delhi, GIFT City, Mumbai and Bengaluru, where it is expected to engage hundreds of C-suite executives, investors, financial institutions, fund managers, family offices, fintech companies, legal advisers and other senior decision-makers from across India’s financial services community.
Hundreds expected to engage with BVI across four cities
• New Dehli – 150+ Attendees
• Mumbai – 200+ Attendees
• Bengaluru – 150+ Attendees
• 15,000 Attendees at Money Expo India
The delegation will be led by Premier and Minister of Finance Dr. the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley, with the participation of Honourable Lorna G. Smith, OBE, Minister for Financial Services, Economic Development and Digital Transformation, senior Government officials, the BVI Financial Services Commission, BVI Finance and representatives of the BVI’s financial services industry.
Under the theme “BVI-India: A Strategic Partnership for India’s Global Expansion,” the mission will feature major conferences, executive roundtables, business-to-business meetings, media engagements and industry dinners. Discussions will focus on BVI investment funds, cross-border corporate structures, access to international capital, trusts, family offices, succession planning, fintech, digital assets and the Territory’s internationally recognized regulatory framework.
Alongside the commercial program, the delegation is scheduled to undertake a series of diplomatic, government-to-government and regulatory engagements with senior Indian officials and institutions. Planned discussions include engagement with India’s Ministry of Finance, financial and tax authorities, the Reserve Bank of India, the Securities and Exchange Board of India, the International Financial Services Centres Authority and senior representatives of GIFT City.
The mission is intended to strengthen trust between the two jurisdictions, deepen regulatory cooperation and create a long-term investment corridor connecting Indian businesses, investors and families with global markets through the BVI.
Years of groundwork behind landmark mission
The upcoming mission represents the culmination of several years of deliberate relationship-building led by the BVI Government Representative Office in Hong Kong.
The Office has made multiple visits to India and maintained sustained engagement with Indian government authorities, regulators and financial services organizations. Since 2023, this work has included dialogue with India’s Competent Authority, the Central Board of Direct Taxes, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs, the Department of Financial Services and the International Financial Services Centres Authority at GIFT City.
During engagements in Mumbai and New Delhi in 2025 and 2026, representatives of the Hong Kong Office also met with officials from the Reserve Bank of India, participated in the Futures Industry Association Forum at the National Stock Exchange of India, advanced discussions with customs authorities and strengthened diplomatic relations with Indian representatives.
India Trade Mission Lead/Associate Director of the BVI Government Representative Office in Hong Kong and Asia-Pacific Representative, Ms. Siobhan Flax, said:
“This mission is not the beginning of the BVI’s engagement with India. It is the culmination of several years of patient, purposeful and sustained groundwork. Our Office has made repeated visits to India, opened important channels with government authorities, regulators and industry leaders, and listened carefully to the needs and ambitions of the Indian market.
“We are now ready to convert those relationships into a deeper and more enduring partnership. India’s businesses, fund managers, investors and families are becoming increasingly global, and they require structures that are flexible, credible and internationally connected. The BVI has the experience, professional ecosystem and regulatory strength to support that expansion. We are going to India not simply to present the BVI, but to build a genuine bridge between India, the BVI and the rest of the world.”
The four-city program will give Indian stakeholders direct access to the BVI’s political leadership, regulator and financial services practitioners. Roadshow sessions will examine how BVI structures can help Indian managers establish and scale investment funds, connect investors with global capital markets, facilitate international acquisitions and joint ventures, support family wealth and succession planning, and provide internationally recognized platforms for fintech and digital-asset businesses.
The mission will also explore closer cooperation between the BVI and GIFT City, including the potential use of BVI master-feeder structures to connect international investors with opportunities in India’s International Financial Services Centre.
The Government views the mission as the beginning of a sustained new chapter in BVI-India relations, with the potential to expand financial services business, strengthen institutional cooperation and establish the BVI as a trusted gateway for India’s growing international ambitions.
About BVI Finance
BVI Finance is responsible for protecting and promoting the British Virgin Islands’ financial services industry. The BVI is recognised as a leading international business and finance centre, offering a robust legal framework, a stable and business-friendly environment, and a strong reputation for regulatory compliance.
With strategic expertise across wealth management, corporate services, trusts, fund administration, and digital assets, the BVI continues to attract global businesses, investors, and financial professionals who use its products and services.
For further information, please contact:
Shamahl A. Smith
Communications and Research Officer
BVI Finance
Email: ssmith@bvifinance.vg
Telephone: +1 284 852 1957