Sadiq Khan has announced a landmark trade visit to the Asian subcontinent to promote London.

The Mayor, whose parents immigrated to London from Pakistan, will be visiting six cities in six days across Pakistan and India later this year.

During his tour, he will visit Mumbai, Amritsar and Delhi in India, as well as Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi in Pakistan, in a bid to enhance economic and cultural ties with London.

The tour is part of the Mayor's London is Open campaign and aims to reassure the world that the capital remains a top destination for investment, talent and business, despite the result of the EU referendum .

Mr Khan also seeks to demonstrate that London continues to welcome people to work, study or visit.

International students from India alone contribute £130m annually to London's economy, while five Pakistani companies were listed on the London Stock exchange in 2015 with a combined value of £10.5bn.

Mr Khan said: “As someone whose grandparents were born in India, and whose parents moved to London from Pakistan, I feel a deep affinity for the subcontinent.

"But what excites me most about this trip is that I know it can deliver real benefits for Londoners.

"Benefits in terms of business and trade, jobs and investment, and in terms of cultural and technological exchange."

Sadiq Khan lights a ceremonial candle at the Diwali Festival in Trafalgar Square

The Mayor added: “This is a really important mission as there are so many areas in which London can work with its counterparts across India and Pakistan.

"Not only in business but in tackling some of the biggest challenges we all face – such as air pollution and climate change.

“I am passionate about showing that my city will always be open to engaging with partners from around the world, and I look forward to strengthening the bonds between London and our friends in India and Pakistan later this year.”

The Mayor is expected to meet with people ranging from senior politicians to Bollywood actors, sports people and tech entrepeneurs.

The Mayor of London will visit six cities in Pakistan and India in six days

Representatives from leading businesses in London will be accompanying the Mayor on the various legs of his journey, with an aim to do business with the growing economies.

Britain already conducts £2bn of bilateral trade with Pakistan, with 100 British businesses established in the country, which was recently classified as an emerging market by Morgan Stanley Capital International.

The UK remains the largest G20 investor in India and supports more than 800,000 jobs there, while 44% of India's fastest growing companies have a base in London.

Keep up to date with the latest news in west London via the free getwestlondon app.

You can set up your app to see all the latest news and events from your area, plus receive push notifications for breaking news.

Available to download from the App Store or Google Play for Android .