Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Mr. Piyush Goyal took center stage at the India Global Forum 2025 in London, articulating India’s forward-looking economic approach in the wake of the landmark Free Trade Agreement (FTA) signed with the United Kingdom in May 2025. Speaking during the headline plenary titled “From Agreement to Action: The UK–India FTA,” Goyal presented the trade deal as a milestone in aligning two democracies through mutual growth and innovation.
Joined by the UK’s Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Mr. Jonathan Reynolds, and moderated by global journalist Mark Barton, the session highlighted both nations’ intent to turn this agreement into a results-driven alliance. Mr. Goyal described the FTA as a reflection of India’s commitment to forging balanced and progressive trade pathways, especially one that opens doors for small businesses, tech innovators, and skilled professionals.
He elaborated on the roadmap ahead, which includes robust institutional collaboration, accelerating access to markets for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), and enhancing mobility for skilled workers. Mr. Goyal also emphasized the need to quickly operationalize the deal so startups and mid-sized firms can benefit early.
A day prior, on June 19, Goyal participated in a dedicated session at London’s Science Museum focusing on the UK–India scientific and digital partnership. Discussions centered around innovation in green manufacturing, AI, fintech, and public digital platforms.
India’s globally recognized technologies like Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and CoWIN were held up as prime examples of scalable digital infrastructure. Goyal reiterated India’s ambition to extend such platforms through global partnerships, leveraging the FTA to bolster cooperation in defense, advanced manufacturing, and critical emerging technologies.
The India–UK FTA, beyond just trade liberalization, was presented as a strategic pivot for both nations to tackle shared global challenges while expanding bilateral influence. Mr. Goyal made it clear that India is ready to lead by example in building smart, equitable, and innovation-led international collaborations.
