Harjinder Kang is His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for South Asia and the British Deputy High Commissioner for Western India, appointed in May 2023.
Prior to this, he served as the UK’s Chief Negotiator for the UK-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and as Director for Trade Policy covering Intellectual Property, Government Procurement, and Core Text. He has also held the role of Director for Healthcare, Life Sciences, and Bioeconomy at the Department for International Trade.
Before joining government, Harjinder spent nearly 30 years at AstraZeneca, starting as a Chemist in R&D and ultimately serving as Global Commercial Director. He focused on developing radiopharmaceuticals, new antibiotics, and strategies to improve access to medicines for underserved populations.
He is a member of the Council of the University of Birmingham.
HM Trade Commissioner for South Asia
Harjinder oversees DIT work in India, Bangladesh, the Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, focusing on:
- Expanding bilateral trade and investment
- Improving market access for UK companies, including SMEs
- Developing finance and trade policy
He collaborates closely with High Commissioners, Ambassadors, and the wider diplomatic network to advance the UK’s prosperity agenda.
British Deputy High Commissioner for Western India
In this role, he represents the UK government’s interests in Goa, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh, overseeing consular, visa, and trade activities, similar to a Consul General.