Telangana Eyes Higher UK Exports Under India-UK Trade Pact: Sridhar Babu

Telangana IT and Industries Minister Duddilla Sridhar Babu said the state is preparing a comprehensive strategy to maximise the benefits of the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), which came into effect on Wednesday. During a meeting with a UK delegation led by Chandru K. Iyer, Deputy Trade Commissioner for South Asia, the minister noted that the agreement eliminates UK tariffs on 99% of industrial products exported from India, creating significant opportunities for Telangana's exporters. He expressed confidence that bilateral trade between the two countries could reach £25 billion (around ₹3.25 lakh crore).

Sridhar Babu highlighted Telangana's strengths in pharmaceuticals, life sciences, aerospace, defence, information technology, semiconductors, chip design, and electronics manufacturing. He said the state currently exports goods worth ₹3,553 crore to the UK and expects this figure to grow substantially under the new agreement. The minister also pointed to Telangana's leadership in pharmaceutical production, vaccine exports, and aerospace manufacturing, while inviting British investors to explore opportunities in the state. He directed officials to organise awareness meetings for local industries on the benefits of the trade pact and encouraged greater business collaboration between Telangana and the United Kingdom.