The Black Country's leading Asian business organisation has cemented new links with a major Indian trade body.
A high-level delegation from the India International Trade Centre visited the Black Country to sign a memorandum of understanding with BCABA.
The document means Black Country companies will have a new route into the rapidly expanding Indian economy, while at home, local companies can be introduced to potential investors and suppliers.
The memorandum was signed by IITC president Chadrakant Salunkhe and Avtar Gakhal, chairman of BCABA.
Mr Salunkhe, whose Mumbai-based organisation has 126,000 member companies, told a reception at Black Country Chamber where the memorandum was signed: "Many British small and medium sized enterprises do not have any representation in India. This memorandum of understanding means we can support BCABA members in promoting their products and services in India. Your members will be treated like our members."
Tony Lucas, executive director of Business Link Black Country, told the reception: "India will soon be in the top five world economies and we in the Black Country need to be among the companies benefiting from that rapid expansion.
"We must be out in India selling our products and expertise and we need to be welcoming Indian investment into our economy."
Other members of the IITC delegation included Anand Dharadhar, vicepresident of HDFC Bank, Sandeep Mankame, managing director of Apex Electromec and Saakshi Kulkarni, senior executive at IITC and director of the Global Marketing Corporation.
Black Country Chamber, which set up BCABA to promote and support the area's Asian-owned businesses, sends regular trade missions to India.
