Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], July 30 : An open forum focused on the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) was successfully held in Ahmedabad under the chairmanship of Gujarat Industries Minister Balvantsinh Rajput, a release from the Gujarat Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said on Wednesday.
As per the release, the event was jointly organised by the Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), the State Industries and Mines Department, and the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT). The forum featured extensive discussions on the historic free trade agreement and the new opportunities it presents for trade and investment between India and the United Kingdom.
Speaking on the occasion, Industries Minister Balvantsinh Rajput stated that under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has emerged as the world's fourth-largest power. He emphasised that the India-UK CETA will provide significant momentum toward India becoming the third-largest global economy soon. The agreement will ease access to developed markets like the UK for the state's manufacturers, exporters, and startups, making it a golden opportunity for Gujarat. The Minister added that this agreement will elevate India to new economic heights and help fulfil the goal of "Vocal for Local to Global."
The minister informed the attending industrialists about the benefits to industries resulting from various initiatives taken by the state government under the guidance of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, including MOUs signed for food parks and steps taken to reduce logistics costs.
Delivering the formal welcome address, GCCI President Sandeep Engineer stated that CETA marks a significant milestone in India's engagement with the UK, reflecting a shared commitment to strengthening economic integration. He particularly emphasised the unprecedented duty-free access that India would receive for 99% of its exports to the UK. He added that the agreement would open up multiple new export opportunities for various sectors, including textiles, marine products, leather, footwear, sporting goods, toys, and gems and jewellery.
Principal Secretary of the State Industries Department, Ms. Mamta Verma, stated that CETA represents a moment of great pride for the nation and stands as a historic and strategic agreement -- a vital step towards realising the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047. She noted that the zero-duty export of goods from India to the UK would significantly accelerate outbound trade.
Joint Director of the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, Rahul Singh, emphasised that by eliminating duties on 99% of tariff lines, CETA will provide a major boost to Indian exports, covering nearly 100% of the trade value. He added that India's trade with the UK has shown an overall positive trend in exports over the past three financial years.
Industries Commissioner P. Swaroop shared details on duty-free accessible products and highlighted Gujarat's leadership in exports of petroleum and mineral fuels, paper products, electrical machinery, pharmaceuticals, jewellery, ceramics, nuclear reactors, boilers, and other machinery. He also outlined promising sectors such as RMG (ready-made garments), home textiles, carpets, and handicrafts, which are poised for exponential growth under this agreement.
The open forum saw the presence of several dignitaries, including GCCI Senior Vice President Rajesh Gandhi, Vice President Apurva Shah, Chairman of GCCI International Trade Committee Anil Jain, and Managing Director of INDEXTb K.C. Sampat, along with senior officials and a large gathering of industrialists, the release added.