The India-UK CEOs Forum convened in Mumbai on 8-9 October brought together business leaders from both nations to explore the opportunities unlocked by the new India-UK Comprehensive Economic & Trade Agreement (CETA). Among the distinguished participants was Mr. Kirit Bhansali, Chairman, GJEPC, who represented India’s gem and jewellery sector at the high-powered meeting.
The two-day forum focused on how the CETA signed in May this year will reshape bilateral trade by removing tariffs on 99% of Indian exports to the UK and 90% of UK exports to India.
Mr. Bhansali spoke about “Leveraging the India–UK CETA to Achieve Growth and Jobs,” alongside prominent Indian business figures including Mr. Uday Kotak, Mr. Karan Rathore, Mr. Dilip Shanghvi, Mr. Naren Goenka, Mr. Anil Agarwal, Mr. Harish Ahuja, Mr. Bhadresh Dodhia, and Mr. Namit Joshi. Each shared insights on how the agreement could boost competitiveness and create employment across key sectors.
The forum was co-chaired by Mr. Sunil Bharti Mittal, Founder & Chairman, Bharti Enterprises, and Mr. Bill Winters, Group Chief Executive, Standard Chartered, with senior government officials in attendance, including Mr. Amardeep Singh Bhatia, Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce & Industry, who addressed participants at the opening session.
With over £30 billion in mutual investments already in place, the partnership is projected to add $34 billion in annual trade by 2040.
Addressing the CEOs Forum, Mr. Bhansali highlighted the gem and jewellery sector’s perspective: “It is an honour to join this forum and acknowledge the government’s vital role in advancing India’s trade agenda. Recent FTAs with the UAE, Australia, and EFTA have elevated our sector’s competitiveness, a clear demonstration of the power of well-negotiated trade agreements. This strategic policy direction has yielded positive results; despite global headwinds, India’s gem and jewellery exports rose 3% to USD 11 billion in April-August 2025 compared to the same period last year.”
“The India–UK FTA marks another milestone, with sector exports to the UK set to more than double—from USD 1 billion to USD 2.5 billion in three years—and create 1.4 lakh new jobs across all jewellery categories,” Mr. Bhansali added.
For India’s gems and jewellery sector, Mr. Bhansali’s presence underscored the industry’s growing role in the global economy. With tariff barriers easing and market access expanding, the UK offers significant potential for export growth, design collaboration, and technology-driven value addition. The CETA promises to strengthen this momentum and position India’s gem and jewellery industry for an even more prominent role in shaping the future of India–UK trade relations.
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