Theresa May will visit India on her first ever trade mission as Prime Minister next month in a move designed to show that Britain will “look beyond” Europe after Brexit.

After a referendum that saw Eurosceptics argue an Out vote would help reconnect the UK with the Commonwealth, Mrs May will spend three days enhancing links with India.

She will travel with Liam Fox, her International Trade Secretary, and use the trip to stress that Britain can become “the most passionate, most consistent, and most convincing advocate for free trade”.

Mrs May will also adopt a “new approach” to trade missions that will see a greater focus on smaller businesses as she attempts to build an “economy that truly work for all”.