Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has said that the ‘Made in India’ label symbolises the country’s reputation and dedication to quality. He emphasised that quality is not just a corporate metric, but a national duty.
Goyal cited the international success of Florence Shoe Company, located in Tamil Nadu, as an illustration of how Indian entrepreneurs are enhancing Brand India’s reputation through top-notch manufacturing.
During a business plenary session in London on Saturday, Goyal recounted the story of Florence Shoe Company founder Aqeel Ahmed Panaruna. He claimed that an international consumer saw a high-end Hugo Boss shoe at Cairo Airport, looked at the label and discovered that it said “Made in India".
The shoe was manufactured in Ambur, Tamil Nadu, by Panaruna’s firm. “When you label a product ‘Made in India’, you are representing a country," he stated.
In a social media post, Goyal stated that quality is a national requirement for business owners like Aqeel, not merely a corporate statistic.
“His work has not only put Indian craftsmanship on global shelves for iconic brands, but has also driven large-scale rural employment, championed women’s empowerment in manufacturing and pioneered sustainable zero liquid discharge technologies," Goyal said.
From June 25-27, the minister made an official visit to London to discuss matters pertaining to the execution of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between the United Kingdom and India. On July 15, the agreement will take effect. It offers duty-free access to labour-intensive Indian goods such as shoes and leather.
On June 26, Goyal announced the deployment of 1,000 advisory personnel across the country and the upgradation of the trade portal to help businesses maximise the benefits of the agreement.
Leads delegation to Greece
Goyal is now leading a high-level business delegation to Athens, Greece, following his successful engagements in the United Kingdom. The delegation’s focus is on expanding bilateral trade, investment flows and strategic economic collaboration.
The engagements in the United Kingdom, followed by the ongoing visit to Greece, reflect the government’s continued commitment to strengthening global economic partnerships, fostering innovation-led growth and advancing India’s trade and investment diplomacy in key international markets.
During the visit to Greece, the delegation will participate in presentations and startup pitches at the Athens Startup Business Incubator, providing a platform to showcase next-generation enterprises and promote cross-border innovation partnerships.
The delegation will also hold focused roundtable discussions with Indian and Greek industry leaders at the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The discussions will cover key sectors, including infrastructure, digitalisation and defence, and food and agriculture, with a view to identifying new avenues for collaboration and strengthening private-sector partnerships.
The programme will include a high-level business interaction bringing together leading stakeholders from both countries to explore opportunities for enhanced investment and commercial partnerships across priority sectors.
The delegation will also visit leading Greek enterprises to explore collaboration in advanced manufacturing and technology-driven sectors, strengthening industrial synergies between the two countries.
The visit will conclude with interactions involving key business and institutional stakeholders aimed at deepening industry partnerships and expanding bilateral trade linkages.
