Hyderabad, Feb 6 (.) India is well-positioned to emerge as a global trade leader, supported by strong economic fundamentals, demographic advantages, and proactive trade policies, experts said at a high-level conference on Business Resilience & Global Trade Management held here on Friday.
The full-day conference, themed “Advancing Bilateral and Multilateral Trade Relations”, was organised by the Federation of Telangana Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FTCCI) as part of the State Facilitation and Knowledge Support activities of the Ministry of External Affairs.
Addressing over 150 participants from government, diplomacy, industry, and academia after inaugurating the conference, NITI Aayog member Arvind Virmani said India’s economic growth remains robust and is accelerating faster than the global average.
Dr Virmani highlighted two major global trends—demographics and manufacturing—observing that India’s growth trajectory compares favourably with major economies, including China and the United States.
Dispelling concerns over “jobless growth,” he said employment generation in India is outpacing population growth, underlining the importance of skilling to sustain this momentum.
He noted that India’s expanding share in the global labour force offers a strong comparative advantage, while the changing dynamics of global manufacturing present fresh opportunities.
Emphasising reforms such as labour codes, tax compliance, quality standards, and Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), he said India is well placed to become an Upper-Middle-Income Country and eventually a High-Income Country.
He also projected that India could overtake Germany within the next two to three years and surpass the European union by 2050.
Sanjay Kumar, Special Chief Secretary, Industries & Commerce and IT & E&C Department, Government of Telangana, outlined the state’s export-led growth strategy.
He said Telangana ranks sixth in export preparedness, with infrastructure projects such as the Regional Ring Road and radial roads driving trade expansion. Telangana’s exports grew 36 percent to USD 19 billion in 2024–25, while IT exports are expected to reach ₹3 lakh crore this year.
Highlighting policy initiatives, he spoke about the country’s first state-led AI Hub, a forthcoming GCC Policy, and a comprehensive revision of the IT Policy.
Under the Life Sciences Policy, R&D has been accorded industry status, supporting growth in pharma, aerospace, and advanced manufacturing exports, he added.
P. S. Gangadhar, IFS, Joint Secretary (Economic Diplomacy), Ministry of External Affairs, said global trade has become increasingly complex, but India has responded decisively by concluding nine trade agreements in the past six years.
FTAs, he said, are central to India’s economic resilience strategy.
E. Vishnu Vardhan Reddy, IFS, Head, Branch Secretariat, MEA, said dependence on a single country is no longer viable, adding that India’s FTAs reflect inclusive and collaborative growth.
Gareth Wynn Owen, British Deputy High Commissioner, Hyderabad, called for deeper UK–India trade and investment cooperation.
FTCCI Vice President Srinivas Garimella said Telangana stands to benefit significantly from India’s FTAs, with exports expected to grow by about 25 percent annually. Chakravarthi AVPS, Chairman, International Trade & Business Relations Committee, FTCCI, said India has moved into a decisive phase in global trade, helping shape its future rules.
The conference also featured three technical panel sessions on strategic FTAs, export diversification, and government enablers, focusing on supply chains, digital trade platforms, credit access, and risk mitigation to build resilient, future-ready export ecosystems.
. KNR CDS