India Global Forum (IGF) 2025 in London
- TPP
- Jun 20
- 2 min read
Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal, showcased India’s strategic economic vision and global leadership at the India Global Forum (IGF) 2025 in London on June 19, marking a pivotal moment in India–UK relations following the historic signing of the India–UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in May 2025.
Delivering the keynote address during the IGF Mainstage Plenary Session, titled “From Agreement to Action: The UK–India FTA,” Shri Goyal emphasized India’s commitment to transforming the FTA from a negotiated framework into a transformative economic partnership. The session was moderated by international journalist Mr. Mark Barton, and featured a dialogue with the UK Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Mr. Jonathan Reynolds.
The India–UK FTA—a Free Trade Agreement designed to eliminate or reduce barriers in trade and investment—was portrayed by Shri Goyal as a reflection of shared ambition between two vibrant democracies. He highlighted that the agreement not only enhances bilateral trade but also showcases India’s capability to negotiate balanced, forward-looking trade frameworks aligned with national economic interests.
Outlining the implementation roadmap, the Minister underlined three key priorities:
Strengthening institutional mechanisms for transparent and effective joint governance;
Unlocking early gains for SMEs (Small and Medium Enterprises) and startups, which are vital engines of economic growth and innovation;
Facilitating the smooth mobility of skilled professionals across sectors, thereby boosting knowledge exchange and workforce collaboration.
Earlier in the day, Shri Goyal participated in a special session on “UK–India Science, Technology and Innovation Collaboration” at the Science Museum in London. The session explored the potential for UK stakeholders to contribute to India’s growing investments in areas such as digital public infrastructure, green technologies, and sustainable manufacturing.
Key highlights from this session included:
Opportunities to collaborate on India's Make in India initiative, which encourages domestic manufacturing;
Leveraging the PLI (Production Linked Incentive) scheme, which provides financial incentives to boost local production;
Deepening cooperation in emerging fields like fintech (financial technology), artificial intelligence (AI), and creative industries.
Discussions also underscored the FTA’s strategic importance in critical technologies, defence production, and advanced manufacturing. Shri Goyal further pointed to scalable Indian innovations such as UPI (Unified Payments Interface) and CoWIN—India’s digital vaccine delivery platform—as models for global collaboration and digital adoption.
Through his engagements, the Union Minister reaffirmed India’s long-term commitment to advancing a comprehensive strategic partnership with the United Kingdom. By leveraging the opportunities embedded in the India–UK FTA, both nations aim to unlock new growth avenues in goods, services, technology, mobility, and innovation, thereby fostering mutual prosperity.
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