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FIFI stresses on strengthening Indo - UK agri-food trade
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Thursday, 15 October, 2026, 12 : 00 PM [IST]
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Our Bureau, New Delhi
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On October 12, 2026, the Forum of Indian Food Importers (FIFI), was invited by UK-India Business Council (UKIBC) and UK Government (UKG), participated in a high-level interactive roundtable session at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. The session served as a crucial platform to advance bilateral food and drink trade, explore commercial avenues, and address regulatory compliance under the landmark UK-India Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA).
The session was honoured by the presence of chief guests, Douglas Alexander, secretary of State for Scotland, and Dame Angela Eagle MP, secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).
Delivering the keynote context-setting address, Amit Lohani, founder director of FIFI, articulated the Indian food and beverage industry’s perspective on emerging market opportunities, regulatory alignment, and trade streamlining under CETA. Lohani highlighted the crucial role of collaborative momentum between government bodies, trade platforms, and key industry stakeholders to ease market entry and expand distribution corridors across India.
Lohani said, “This is a great step forward for India-UK bilateral trade. Our spices, fruits, and rice will gain better access to British markets, while UK salmon, meats, and scotch, will set the benchmark for Indian consumers.”
The roundtable brought together top leadership and corporate executives from major UK and global brands including Diageo, Pernod Ricard, Annandale Distillery, and Walkers Shortbread. The meeting was further strengthened by active participation from prominent sector trade associations, including the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA), Salmon Scotland, and the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), alongside FIFI.
The open, business-led discussion focused on practical strategies for overcoming regulatory bottlenecks, improving food safety compliance, and accelerating bilateral trade growth across spirits, seafood, meat, dairy, and processed food categories. The session concluded with a mutual commitment among the delegates to deepen commercial ties, leverage CETA's preferential framework, and establish structured avenues for ongoing trade support and market intelligence sharing.
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