THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

NEW DELHI/LONDON, JUNE 27, 2026

Calling upon Indian businesses to capitalise on the unprecedented opportunities created by the India–UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Saturday urged companies to deepen collaboration with their UK counterparts to convert the landmark pact into sustained business growth and long-term economic partnerships.

Addressing the India–UK: Partners in Progress Business Plenary in London, Goyal said the success of CETA would depend on continuous engagement between industries of both nations and proactive efforts to unlock new avenues of trade, investment and innovation.

The plenary brought together leading industry representatives from India and the United Kingdom, who hailed CETA as a transformative framework for strengthening bilateral economic relations. Participants highlighted the agreement's potential to accelerate investments, foster technology partnerships, build resilient supply chains, promote innovation and significantly expand trade between the two countries.

Discussions focused on the effective implementation of CETA, with industry leaders stressing the importance of creating greater awareness of the agreement, particularly among micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). They also recommended simplifying regulatory and certification procedures, strengthening industry-to-industry collaboration and facilitating greater mobility of skilled talent to enable businesses to fully leverage the opportunities offered by the trade pact.

On the occasion, Goyal launched four knowledge reports aimed at helping businesses maximise the benefits of CETA. These include FICCI's The Evolving India–UK Partnership, CII's Indian Roots, British Soil: Charting Indian Industry's Footprints in the UK 2026, the UKIBC–HSBC UK–India CETA Utilization Manual, and CareEdge's Sovereign Ratings – A Fresh Perspective. The reports provide strategic insights and practical guidance for companies seeking to expand their presence under the new trade framework.

Industry representatives also presented recommendations emerging from sector-specific roundtable discussions covering healthcare, advanced manufacturing, clean energy, science and technology, services and consumer goods. The proposals underscored significant opportunities for expanding bilateral cooperation through increased investment, innovation-led partnerships and stronger commercial ties.

The minister concluded his two-day business engagements in the United Kingdom with an interactive debriefing session involving the Indian business delegation. Participants shared key takeaways from meetings with prospective partners and identified emerging business opportunities across multiple sectors.

The engagements reinforced the growing momentum behind the India–UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement and reflected the shared commitment of both governments and industry to translate the landmark accord into tangible gains in trade, investment and economic cooperation.