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21 Feb, 2023 News Image FSSAI to grant approval for renewal of licences or regn sans scrutiny.
The FSSAI has decided to grant approval for renewal of licences/ registration of food business operators without requiring the scrutiny of the concerned authority.
 
The food authority has issued an order, in this regard, and stated that it was done to streamline the process of licensing/registration and its renewal by the food authority while this order shall be applicable on the applications submitted on or after Jan 12, 2023.
 
However, the FSSAI has also specified the conditions for such ‘grant of approval’ to the food businesses for renewal of licences/registration.
 
According to the FSSAI, the FBOs were required to meet ‘conditions’ to be able to avail the instant renewal benefit of the licences that include ‘No change in the existing details of the licence/registration shall be allowed, validity in case of licence shall be for one year only. The FBOs whose licence/registration was cancelled or suspended, will not be allowed to renew.'
 
These conditions along with a declaration is also sought from the FBO regarding permissions from Central Ground Water Authority, if applicable, along with declaration that the FBO does not hold more than one active licence/registration to any other food business(s) at the same premises.
 
The order added that the validity of the new licence is now restricted to only one year instead of the existing provision which states that licences granted shall be valid for a period of 1-5 years as chosen by the FBO.
 
For registration, the validity will continue to remain as per existing provision , i.e., 1-5 years as chosen by the FBO.
 
Inoshi Sharma, Executive Director, Compliance Strategies, FSSAI, stated that now as the grant of renewal of licence and registration is instant and without the scrutiny of licensing and registration authority, there shall be no late fee of Rs 100 per day levied if the renewal application is filed in the last 30 days of prior to expiry.
 
'However, the penalties levied for applying renewal of expired licence/ registration upto 180 days after the date of expiry shall continue,' she stated and added that ‘as the window for renewal of licence and registration' is available as early as 180 days prior to expiry date, FBOs are advised to apply for renewal as early as possible to avoid eventual penalty.

 Source:  www.fnbnews.com
21 Feb, 2023 News Image Indian horticulture body develops new low-cost structures to boost vertical farming.
The ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticulture Research (IIHR) has developed a new vertical farming structure for “protected” cultivation of crops such as cabbage and cauliflower, besides flowers like lilium and gerbera.
 
The new structure, which can be as high as 12 feet, leads to effective space utilisation in a poly-house. This can result in productivity rising by up to six times compared with the conventional farming on a per unit area basis, scientists claimed.
 
The low-cost vertical farming structures consist of vertically stacked layers of around 11 tiers and have inbuilt wick-based drip irrigation in which the crops can be grown in bags containing soil-less substrate mix comprising coco-peat, vermicompost, paddy husk and spent mushroom, said C Aswath, Principal Scientist, IIHR.
 
With multiple stacked layers allowing increased utilisation of the unit area available in the poly-house by 5-6 times, and through higher planting density, the yield and productivity can be increased six times, Aswath said.
 
Planning to patent
The cost of setting up each of these structures which is one metre in width and three metres in breadth and about 12 feet in height comes around to Rs. 25,000, Aswath said. IIHR has proposed a subsidy of 50 per cent under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture for the wider adoption of the new structures by farmers practising poly-house cultivation in urban and semi-urban areas, he said.
 
IIHR has set up these new vertical farming structures at the Centre of Excellence on Protected Cultivation of Horticultural Crops at its premises in Hessarghatta, Bengaluru, to demonstrate the cultivation of high-value floriculture crops like lilium and high-value vegetables such as broccoli and purple cabbage. Safeena SA, Senior Scientist, IIHR, said the institute was looking at patenting the new vertical farming structure design.
 
At the upcoming National Horticulture Fair starting Wednesday (February 22), IIHR will provide training to the farmers on the vertical farming techniques.
 
With shrinking land resources, vertical farming, which helps produce more crops from small areas throughout the year, is seen as an innovative solution to help address the growing food demand.
 
This distinctive method of farming aims at higher productivity in smaller spaces making efficient use of the available vertical space and uses soil-less farming methods.
 
Other vegetable crops such as beans, cauliflower, various leafy vegetables, fruits like strawberries and flowers such as gerbera, gypsophilia, gladiolus can be grown under the vertical farming method, Aswath said.

 Source:  www.thehindubusinessline.com
21 Feb, 2023 News Image UAE committed to placing highest priority on food security: Dubai ruler.
The UAE is committed to providing an exceptional standard of living for all people living in the Emirates, the country’s Vice-President has said. As part of this, its leaders place the highest priority on ensuring food security and creating strong and resilient supply chains and ecosystems.
 
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, made these comments as he toured Gulfood 2023, the largest annual global food and beverage sourcing event in the world, which began at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) on Monday.
 
'Aligned with our vision to be a leading player in shaping the future of vital sectors that drive global prosperity and growth, the UAE continues to bring together nations, markets and industries to discuss vital issues that impact the sustainability of economies and societies.
 
'Furthermore, we seek to foster the sharing of knowledge and advance the adoption of new technologies and solutions that promote equitable access to food resources and the sustainable production, distribution and consumption of food worldwide.'
 
Bringing together F&B communities from across the world to chart the way forward for this rapidly evolving sector, the 28th edition of the mega event is 30 per cent larger than previous years, with 1,500 of its over 5,000 exhibitors new to the trade show. The event will be on till February 24.
 
Leading global brands exhibiting at Gulfood 2023 include Unilever, GMG, Americana, Agthia, Fonterra, McCain, Monin, USAPEEC, Hunter Foods, ASMAK, Minerva Foods, U.S. Dairy Export Council, Frinsa Group, Emirates Snacks Foods and Al Rabie to name a few; as well as newcomers including Brazilian food processing company BRF Global and Agricultural, and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA).
 
Gulfood 2023 will put the spotlight on the role of the food industry in creating healthier, more resilient food systems and helping reverse global inflation.

 Source:  www.zawya.com
21 Feb, 2023 News Image Effective implementation of PM GatiShakti will kick start virtuous cycle of pulling in private investments, increasing production, employment & growth : Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade

The first Prime Minister GatiShakti regional workshop for Western and Central Zone was held today in Goa. The workshop featured discussions on use cases of National Master Plan (NMP) adoption by Central Ministries & State Departments for planning and acted as a platform for mutual learning among the States and Central Ministries/Departments.  Sumita Dawra, Special Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry and senior government officials from Central Ministries and State Governments of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh were present on the occasion.

Addressing the workshop via video conference, Secretary, DPIIT Anurag Jain stated that PM GatiShakti will kick start the virtuous cycle of pulling in private investments, increasing production, employment and growth. He added that the GatiShakti NMP was launched to propel the nation towards achieving the goal of Atma Nirbhar Bharat.  He further noted that the root cause of many problems faced by the common man is the huge disconnect between macro level planning and its implementation at the micro level and that the GatiShakti NMP is huge step towards resolving the same. Synergies can be built to ensure integrated planning, synchronized implementation and monitoring of infrastructure, economic and social sector projects/schemes through this platform, added Secretary Anurag Jain.

Special Secretary, DPIIT Sumita Dawra observed that since the launch of PM GatiShakti on Oct 13, 2021 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, several milestones such as the launch of a National Logistics Policy has been achieved. Tracing the progress made under PM GatiShakti NMP, she added that as of today over 1300 layers have been uploaded. 30 Individual portals of Central Ministries and 36 States/UTs State Master Plan portals have also been developed.

Nodal Officers from Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Union Ministry of Railways and Union Ministry of Communications and Information Technology also shared their improved experiences with PM GatiShakti in project planning. The day further witnessed a range of sessions, including a few on demonstration of use cases and best practices of PM GatiShakti in holistic planning of economic activities and social sector planning, on significance of City Logistics Plan in creating sustainable cities and on issues & bottlenecks on major projects of the States enlisted in the PMG.


 Source:  www.pib.gov.in
21 Feb, 2023 News Image Together with the Center, the States should focus on the progress of small farmers - Shri Tomar.

Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shri Narendra Singh Tomar chaired the National Conference on Agriculture for Zaid (Summer) Campaign-2023 in New Delhi today. On this occasion, Shri Tomar said that India is in a very good position in terms of food grains production and this has been achieved due to the farmer-friendly policies of the government under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, tireless hard work of farmers and novel research by agricultural scientists. But the stage where India is today, we cannot be sit on our laurels, production should be scaled and on the basis of minute planning, such meaningful results should come out so that in the Agriculture sector, besides meeting the continuous supply of our domestic needs, we can successfully fulfill the world supply demands.

Union Minister Shri Tomar said that the Advance Estimates of a record breaking agricultural production (323 million tonnes) are encouraging. While agriculture is important, it is also an area of greater caution and responsibility. There was a time when little progress was taken for granted and the country depended on others for food grains but due to continuous progress under the efficient leadership of Prime Minister Shri Modi today most of the countries are dependent on India unlike before. We have to fulfill our needs in terms of agricultural products, as well as meet the demands of the world if needed. In this regard, we have to increase production and productivity as well as improve quality so that we can meet the global standards. Shri Tomar said that many concrete steps have been taken for the development of Agriculture sector under the guidance of Prime Minister Shri Modi, in which the States are also cooperating. As resolved by the Prime Minister, 22 crore Soil Health Cards have been distributed in two phases, the main objective of which is to preserve the fertility of our earth. Along with distribution of cards, the number of soil testing labs has been augmented at every level. The responsibility of positive result in this regard rests with the State Governments. All farmers should also participate in this.

Shri Tomar said that everyone should consider adopting other available alternatives to chemical fertilizers, – nano urea, biofertilizer. About 2.5 lakh crore rupees is being incurred annually on fertilizer subsidy. Apart from saving this amount, healthy production can be done and individual health can be ensured. Due to awareness campaigns, the cultivation area under organic and natural farming is increasing. States should focus on the progress of small farmers through measures like Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi launched by Prime Minister Shri Modi. Krishi Vigyan Kendra and ATMA should work together at the district level to bring about rejuvenation, besides the State Governments should draw their annual plans for the Agriculture sector and consider how they can make good use of the Central Government schemes for the interest of the farmers. Agriculture and allied Departments/Ministries and States together make up the Team India, which should further strengthen the Agriculture sector. He said that Summer Crops are important, which also helps in increasing the income of small farmers. Shri Tomar said that the benefits of the schemes should reach the small farmers by making proper use of the Government funds. The government is also working on the Digital Agriculture Mission, in which cooperation of the States is necessary.

  

Agriculture Secretary Shri Manoj Ahuja, Secretary-DARE and Director General-ICAR, Dr. Himanshu Pathak, Secretary-Fertilizer Shri Arun Baroka also addressed the conference and presentations were made by Additional Secretaries and Joint Secretaries. Senior officers of Agriculture and other Central Ministries, Agriculture Production Commissioner/Principal Secretary and other senior officers of State Agriculture Departments, representatives of Central and State organizations participated in the conference. It was informed during the conference that there is no shortage of fertilizers anywhere in the country. The number of Kisan Samridhi Kendras has now increased to 12,000. The PM-PRANAM scheme is running smoothly, which aims to reduce the usage of chemical urea. It was also informed that Seed Traceability system is being introduced by the Centre, which will ensure availability of quality seeds. Pesticide Management System will also be implemented.


 Source:  www.pib.gov.in
21 Feb, 2023 News Image 'We should target 1 billion USD organic product export by 2030': Piyush Goyal.
The central government has decided to set up a high-quality modern organic testing laboratory in Sikkim to promote the state's organic produce, Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Textiles, Piyush Goyal, said on Saturday.
 
Apart from announcing the setting up of the laboratory, this enabling farm-to-lab traceability check, the Union minister also insisted on using the existing infrastructure in the state for upscaling economic activities.
 
'We should try to take the export of organic goods from the present 1 million USD to 1 billion USD by 2030. I'm 100 per cent sure that it's achievable. We'll set up a quality-based Organic Testing Lab here on behalf of Centre,' said Goyal while addressing an interactive event with members of the Sikkim Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
 
 
He said Sikkim has the potential to become a sustainable and organic state, adding that reaching such milestones will only help the state boost and leverage its tourism potential.
 
The Union minister also called on the local youth to work at design and packaging facilities as well.
 
'The Centre is willing to set up a National Institute of Design and National Institute of Packaging Campus in Sikkim, if the required land is made available by the state government,' said Goyal.
 
He also chaired a review meeting with government officials at the Conference hall of Tashiling Secretariat in Gangtok on Sunday. The meeting was attended by Sikkim's chief secretary, Vijay Bhushan Pathak and DC Gangtok, Tushar Nikhare, among several other officers.
 
He also reviewed the state's rubber plantation and production for agriculture and farmer's welfare, and mechanisms for organic states such as Testing Facilities, Blockchain and Export facilities.
 
He said production of large cardamom, spices, as well as homestay and organic farming should be the focus areas for the administration to help the youth become self-employed.
 
During his three-day visit to Sikkim, the Union minister will also be meeting with government officials and stakeholders in the Commerce and Industries sector.

 Source:  economictimes.indiatimes.com
21 Feb, 2023 News Image Pune company exports India s first commercial consignment of Purandar figs to Hong Kong.
A farmer producer company in the Purandar taluka of Maharashtra’s Pune district successfully exported to Hong Kong India’s first commercial consignment of 550 kg of GI-tagged Puranadar figs. Rohan Ursal, a Director, Purandar Highlands, said they will now explore exports to Malaysia and other countries now.
 
'We exported the consignment on February 10, and today after getting detailed feedback from importing client, we are very happy to announce that the consignment was a success and well accepted and also one that has generated interest in the importing country for further orders,' said Ursal.
 
This was a joint effort between Purandar Highlands and Scion Agricos. The consignment had the branding for the ‘VISIT INDIA 2023’ mission of Incredible India, Ministry of Tourism to support its campaign.
 
Purandar figs have limited market reach due to the highly perishable nature of the fruit. Purandar Highlands, whose members and board of directors are from the Purandar and Baramati regions of the district, has been working with the growers to ensure export quality figs and custard apples are harvested in the region. The farmers producer company has also ventured into the business of table spreads.
 
Ursal said they had been experimenting with smaller quantities to understand the logistics necessary for export. To ensure fruits have a longer shelf life, they need to be harvested in the right manner and also packed properly.
 
The FPC along with input giant Bayer Crop Science has been working to ensure farmers grow and harvest export-quality fruits. After the successful trial of smaller consignments, they decided to carry out commercial consignments.
 
Interestingly, the latest export came after the first sample consignment was sent to Hamburg in Germany and a few EU countries.
 
Ursal said while the demand remains high, they have committed to providing around 450-550 kg of export-quality figs per week. He said they have got orders for exports to Malaysia as well.
 
'Purandar Figs were always considered highly perishable, limiting its reach to farther markets. However with joint efforts of our FPC team and our partners, we are now taking our fresh figs to global markets with a commercially viable and sustainable farm-to-table model,' he said.

 Source:  indianexpress.com
21 Feb, 2023 News Image India-UAE Business Council launched to boost bilateral trade and investment.
Marking the first anniversary of the India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), the two sides have launched the UAE chapter of their joint business chamber to bolster economic ties and facilitate enhancing bilateral trade and investment. India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) inked a CEPA on February 18 last year to boost trade ties following a virtual summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
 
The UAE India Business Council - UAE Chapter (UIBC-UC) was launched on Saturday by Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade, in the presence of Ambassador of India to the UAE, Sunjay Sudhir, Consul General of India in Dubai Aman Puri and founding members of the UBIC-UC.
 
The two nations aim to increase bilateral trade to USD 100 billion and attract USD 75 billion in investment from the UAE to India.
 
 
The UIBC-UC is poised to play a crucial role in supporting both governments in achieving these objectives and maximising the potential of the UAE-India relationship.
 
By leveraging the strong bond between the two nations, the council brings together key partners and stakeholders from both nations and will serve as a valuable source of policy guidance, fostering innovative collaboration between Emirati and Indian businesses.
 
Speaking on this occasion, Minister Zeyoudi highlighted that the establishment of the UAE Chapter of the UAE India Business Council marks a significant moment in the deepening of the relationship between the United Arab Emirates and India.
 
He also mentioned that the Council will play a critical role in supporting the two governments in their joint mission to boost bilateral trade and investment. He expressed confidence that it will catalyse innovative collaboration between our two great nations.
 
Ambassador Sudhir said, 'The launch today marks a significant milestone in the strengthening of the relationship between the United Arab Emirates and India.'
 
The UIBC-UC will serve as the counterpart organisation to the UIBC India Chapter, which was established in New Delhi on September 3, 2015, by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and Sushma Swaraj, then Minister of External Affairs of India.
 
The UAE India Business Council - UAE Chapter (UIBC-UC) has been set up with the approval of UAE's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India.
 
The UIBC-UC will operate under the supervision of the Federation of UAE Chambers of Commerce & Industry and has been registered as a legal and financial entity with the Dubai Chamber of Commerce. The council will have its office in Abu Dhabi and will be a pan UAE body focussing on promoting trade and investment relations between the UAE and India. Membership to UIBC-UC will be by invitation only, and institutional members will be invited over time.
 
Faizal Kottikollon, Chairman, of KEF Holdings, who has been appointed as the Chairman of UIBC-UC, said the council's focus will be to identify significant strategic projects that can be undertaken by both countries.
 
'This includes investments in large infrastructure projects in India, advancements in manufacturing and technology, and providing Indian manufacturers with the ability to use the UAE as a base for their global expansion,' he said.
 
Rizwan Soomar, CEO & MD (India Subcontinent) at DP World, will serve as the Co-Chairman of UIBC-UC.
 
Major General (Retd.) Sharafuddin Sharaf, who serves as the Chairman of the UIBC India Chapter, will also hold the position of Vice Chairman of UIBC-UC.
 
The founding members of the UIBC-UC from the UAE side are Mubadala - Sovereign Wealth Fund of the UAE, Wizz Financial, DP World, EMAAR, Emirates Airlines, and Emirates NBD Bank.
 
From the Indian side, large conglomerates such as TATA, Reliance, and Adani as well as tech innovators like OLA, Zerodha, Udaan, and EaseMyTrip along with prominent Indian entrepreneur led Corporations based in the UAE such as KEF Holdings, Buimerc Corporation, Apparel Group, EFS and Lulu Financial are represented.

 Source:  economictimes.indiatimes.com
21 Feb, 2023 News Image India, Iraq explore ways to diversify trade from oil to non-oil sectors.
India and Iraq on Monday discussed ways to further increase and diversify trade from oil to non-oil sectors, while stressing the importance of expanding economic partnership and technology engagement. The two sides held wide-ranging talks during the second round of the India-Iraq Foreign Office Consultations in Baghdad where the Indian delegation was led by Ausaf Sayeed, Secretary (CPV & OIA), while Iraq's delegation was led by Hisham Al Alawi, Undersecretary for Political Planning Affairs from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iraq.
 
Sayeed also called on Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Oil Hayyan Abdul Ghani, Iraq's Minister of Trade Atheer Dawood Salman, Iraqi National Security Adviser Qasem Al Araji and Iraq's President of Sunni Awqaf Board Mesh'an Al Khazraji, and discussed a range of bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest, a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs said.
 
Both the sides noted the warm and friendly traditional relations, and comprehensively reviewed the current status of bilateral relations in all fields including political, economic, defence, security, trade and investments, development partnership, scholarship programme and capacity building, cultural relations and people-to-people contacts, the statement said.
 
Detailed discussions were held on further strengthening of the bilateral relations and the future direction of the growth of bilateral cooperation, the statement said.
 
Both sides expressed their satisfaction about the bilateral trade, which exceeded USD 34 billion for 2021-22 and discussed ways and means to further increase and diversify trade from oil to non-oil sectors, it said.
 
The Indian and Iraqi sides noted the importance of expanding economic partnership and technology engagement.
 
They also noted opportunities for investment, particularly in the fields of oil and gas, infrastructure, healthcare, power, transport, agriculture, water management, drugs and pharmaceuticals, ICT, and renewable energy.
 
They urged business community to engage closely for mutual benefit.
 
A sizeable number of candidates from Iraq have been benefiting from our capacity-building programme, including ITEC and higher education scholarships.
 
Both sides are keen to enhance the level of economic engagement and people-to-people exchanges.
 
The secretary (CPV & OIA) also announced that an artificial limb fitment camp (Jaipur Foot) will be organised in Iraq soon, the MEA said.
 
Sayeed interacted with the Indian community, Indian and Iraqi business leaders and Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation and Indian Council for Cultural Relations alumni from Iraq.
 
He also inaugurated the newly-constructed Indian Consular Application Centre (ICAC) in Baghdad which will facilitate Indian and Iraqi nationals, seeking visas and consular services.
 
Both sides agreed on the importance of continuing the upward momentum in the relationship through exchanges of regular visits and consultations, and agreed to hold the next India-Iraq Joint Commission Meeting at Oil Ministers' level in New Delhi at a mutually convenient date, the statement said.

 Source:  economictimes.indiatimes.com
20 Feb, 2023 News Image India-UK FTA talks progress encouraging, says British industry expert.
At the conclusion of the seventh round of India-UK free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations and ahead of the eighth round scheduled in New Delhi next month, a senior industry expert in the UK believes there are encouraging signs of appetite on both sides to agree a deal and fully utilise its benefits. Syma Cullasy-Aldridge is the Chief Campaigns Director at the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) and has just returned after leading the group's first-ever business delegation to New Delhi and Mumbai aimed at unlocking opportunities of a potential FTA.
 
The Indian-origin campaigns chief for the industry body, which speaks on behalf of 190,000 UK businesses of all sizes and sectors, described the visit as 'really, really brilliant' in highlighting the immense scope for partnership and collaboration across key sectors.
 
'What really struck me was the opportunity and appetite on both sides for collaboration and partnership around key sectors like green finance, innovation and new technology - areas where there are skills and education on both sides,' said Cullasy-Aldridge.
 
'The seventh round was on here while we were in India. It's encouraging to see negotiations progressing and also encouraging to see appetite on both sides to make sure that we do agree [a trade deal] and then utilise it well,' she said.
 
The last round of talks concluded on February 10.
 
Cullasy-Aldridge highlighted a recent Cabinet mini-shuffle by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak which brought the government's trade and business departments together under Secretary of State Kemi Badenoch and termed it a 'really good thing'.
 
'It means that you're looking at trade from a business perspective, having business working hand in hand with trade. That is a good thing because then you have better outcomes,' she said.
 
'We have an opportunity [post-Brexit] to forge our own trading relationships. There's a big global Britain ambition and India is the fastest growing economy in the world. There's opportunity for the UK to partner with India on that growth story,' she added.
 
According to the CBI, an India-UK FTA could boost trade with India by 28 billion pounds a year by 2035 and increase wages across the UK by 3 billion pounds. Its trade delegation earlier this month was very much focussed on the utilisation aspect of such a potential pact by businesses.
 
'The UK is obviously looking to take advantage in a post Brexit world of new trading opportunities and one thing that COVID taught us was that you need to diversify your supply chains, and everybody around the world knows that now,' said the executive, who has previously worked within the UK government's business department.
 
'Supply chains are incredibly complicated things and so, of course, it will take time. Meanwhile, we're very much up for working with the government to help with trade agreement utilisation because these shifts will happen more effectively through engagement with business,' she said.
 
She pointed to opportunities over India's G20 presidency and the corresponding B20 - or business segment - being led by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
 
Asked about hurdles that CBI foresees in the way of an FTA which has already missed a Diwali 2022 deadline for completion due to political upheavals in the UK, Cullasy-Aldridge said there would always be some hurdles in any trade negotiation, asserting that they are 'incredibly complicated legal documents'.
 
'So, it's important to take the time to get them right. But I'm actually more interested in utilisation - how companies will use the trade deal once it is in place. And that's why things like trade delegations are so important, because it's about businesses on both sides understanding the opportunities so they know how they can make the most of it,' she said.
 
Official UK government data pegs India-UK bilateral trade at around 29.6 billion pounds a year, a figure expected to receive a major boost with an FTA both sides hope can be concluded this year.

 Source:  economictimes.indiatimes.com