PNS|Vijayawada
AP Chambers president Potluri Bhaskara Rao has welcomed the successful conclusion of the India–UK Free Trade Agreement, calling it a historic step towards boosting exports, generating employment, and accelerating India’s economic growth.
“This FTA offers zero-duty access on 99 per cent of Indian exports, opening up major opportunities for sectors crucial to Andhra Pradesh, including textiles, pharma, leather, marine products, engineering goods, and food processing.
Most of the sectors were struggling for the past couple of years due to world recession and Russia-Ukraine war. This deal will significantly enhance economic activity and global competitiveness of our MSMEs and exporters,” he stated.
Bhaskar Rao particularly highlighted the benefits in services, noting, “India has secured strong commitments in IT, professional, and educational services, with eased mobility for professionals and a three-year exemption from UK social security contributions, making Indian service providers more competitive. This will open plenty of opportunities to Andhra Pradesh’s professionals and youth.”
AP Chambers secretary B Raja Sekhar and Bhaskara Rao congratulated the Government of India for concluding the most comprehensive FTA to date, aligning with the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision. “This agreement strengthens India’s role in global value chains and sets a new benchmark for modern trade partnerships,” they added.
