PM Modi hails ‘significant moment’ as India-UK trade deal, social security agreement come into effect

Meghalaya is expanding its reach in the Indian market by leveraging new retail partnerships to promote its premium pineapples. The fourth edition of the Meghalaya Pineapple Festival took place at Dilli Haat in New Delhi on July 10-12, with the state government using the event to enhance market access for local pineapple growers. Organised by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, the festival brought together farmers, retailers, exporters, food processors, institutional buyers, and consumers. The event was inaugurated by Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region and Communications Jyotiraditya M Scindia, alongside Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, senior government officials, industry representatives, exporters, and farmer collectives from across the state. Key highlights of the festival included the signing of Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with Flipkart and the National E-Market Services Limited (NeML). These agreements aim to broaden marketing and distribution channels for Meghalaya’s pineapple growers, enhancing their access to organised retail, institutional buyers, and digital marketplaces throughout India. The festival showcased the state's premium-quality pineapples, renowned for their rich aroma, low acidity, and sweetness, with a Brix value of 16–18. These pineapples are cultivated in the rain-fed hills and valleys of Ri Bhoi, Garo Hills, Khasi Hills, and Jaintia Hills, supporting thousands of farming households. Speaking at the event, Scindia praised Meghalaya’s transformation under Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, highlighting initiatives such as CM FARM+, MLAMP, and the Meghalaya State Organic Mission. He noted that these efforts are building globally competitive value chains centered around farmers. Sangma reiterated the goal of ensuring that each partnership and market expansion leads to higher incomes, stronger livelihoods, and better opportunities for the people of Meghalaya. He described the festival’s evolution from a celebration of the fruit to a broader platform showcasing the state’s diverse talents and cultural vibrancy. During the event, dignitaries released Meghalaya Pineapple: A Four-Edition Journey, documenting the festival’s growth since its inception in 2023. Fresh pineapple consignments sent to New Delhi increased from 7.7 metric tonnes during the first edition to over 15 metric tonnes in 2025. The state reported that more than 100 metric tonnes of pineapples have been marketed and exported through organised domestic and international channels. In June 2026, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman launched a two-metric-tonne consignment of Meghalaya pineapples to Lulu Retail in Dubai, marking another step in the state’s export ambitions. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrated the formal commencement of the India-United Kingdom Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and the Agreement on Social Security. Describing it as a "significant moment," he highlighted the potential benefits for India's agrarian sector and small businesses. The agreements are expected to deepen economic linkages between the two nations, providing zero-duty market access for nearly 99% of India's exports and covering almost 100% of the total trade value. The pact eliminates tariffs on several sectors, including textiles, clothing, leather, gems and jewellery, engineering goods, chemicals, electronics, marine products, furniture, and sports goods. For agriculture, the agreement offers zero-duty access to all products, excluding certain items like chicken, pork, eggs, rice, and sugar. Processed food products enjoy duty-free entry for 97.1% of tariff lines, giving Indian exporters a competitive edge in the UK's $90 billion agricultural import market. Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal underscored the transformative impact of the agreement, noting that it creates unprecedented opportunities for various sectors, including textiles, leather, gems and jewellery, engineering goods, marine products, chemicals, processed foods, MSMEs, farmers, and manufacturers. The agreement also opens new opportunities for India's IT, professional, financial, education, and business services sectors, while facilitating greater mobility for Indian talent. The accompanying Agreement on Social Security aims to provide support to Indian professionals working temporarily in the UK and strengthen the competitiveness of Indian enterprises.