The first consignments under India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) were flagged off from different ports such as Surat, Chennai and Mumbai on Thursday, a day after the Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) held an awareness meeting with 18 associations in Surat.
The first consignment from exported from Surat to Australia belonged to Surat Jewellers Association president Salim Daginawala. Abhimaniu Sharma (Joint Director General of Foreign Trade, Surat), Virendra Singh (Development Commissioner of Surat Special Economic Zone), Vijay Mangukiya (Gujarat Regional Chairman of GJEPC), Abhilash Sreenivasan (Additional Commissioner of Customs, Surat), Dinesh Navadiya (Chairman OF Indian Diamond Institute), Salim Daginawala, Jaferbhai Salebhai (Surat Jewellery Manufacturer Association).
In a media release issued by GJEPC, Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal said, “There is a lot of potential for exporting finished products to Australia, which is largely a raw material producing country. So, it’s a complete win-win.”
Development Commissioner of Surat Special Economic Zone Virendra Singh, said, “Gujarat is the biggest contributor in the exports from India. Currently Gujarat is ahead of most of the exporting states and the ECTA will help Gujarat, especially Surat.” Joint DGFT-Surat Abhimaniu Sharma said, “Australia in recent years has become a vibrant cultural melting pot, including a 700,000-strong Indian diaspora, who are major contributors to its economy. The ECTA enables Indian Gems and Jewellery exporters duty-free access to the market.”
India-Australia ECTA aims to boost bilateral trade in goods and services.