Piyush Goyal, UK Trade Secretary Peter Kyle Discuss Roadmap to Operationalise India-UK CETA

Mumbai, Oct 2025 : Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday met Peter Kyle, the United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for Business and Trade, to advance discussions on operationalising the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and doubling bilateral trade by 2030.

Kyle is in India as part of a high-level trade delegation accompanying UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer during his two-day official visit to the country.

According to an official statement, the meeting marked a significant step toward putting the India-UK CETA into effect. Both ministers agreed to reposition the Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) as the key mechanism to oversee its implementation and ensure tangible outcomes.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Goyal said it was a pleasure to meet Kyle and reaffirm “our shared commitment to advancing the India-UK economic partnership.”

“Our discussions focused on accelerating the implementation of our landmark trade deal and delivering its gains through the India-UK Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO). We remain steadfast in our resolve to translate ambition into achievement — fostering growth, generating employment, and deepening economic ties between our nations,” Goyal wrote.

The Indian minister also co-chaired a session on advanced manufacturing, identified as a cornerstone of the India-UK strategic partnership.

“From AI to aerospace, automotive to semiconductors, we are putting the India-UK FTA into action. Two innovative economies, one shared future,” Goyal remarked.

He noted that the large UK business delegation accompanying Kyle reflects the optimism and growing confidence in India-UK relations.

During the meeting, Goyal also welcomed the announcement of Eli Lilly’s $1 billion investment in India to expand its pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity.

“This investment reaffirms India’s position as a global hub for innovation, research and development, manufacturing, and healthcare solutions,” he said. “Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, India has made remarkable progress in improving the ease of doing business and building global trust in its quality ecosystem, making it one of the world’s most preferred investment destinations.”

The two ministers expressed confidence that the early operationalisation of CETA and a strengthened JETCO framework would create new opportunities for trade, innovation, and job creation in both countries.