British Deputy High Commissioner evinces interest in Himachali handloom heritage

Kullu, June 2 British Deputy High Commissioner, Caroline Rowett, on Monday visited the Bhuttico handloom cooperative in Kullu town as part of her three-day visit to the Kullu-Manali region of Himachal Pradesh.

During the visit, the UK delegation met Bhuttico’s management and interacted with artisans engaged in the creation of traditional Himachali handloom products.

Speaking on the textiles sector under the UK-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA), Rowett said, “UK businesses and consumers will also have increased access to tariff-free imports from India, with tariffs being eliminated on 99 per cent of Indian goods which could provide better choice, quality and affordability of a wide range of Indian products such as frozen shrimp, apparel and textiles.”

India and the UK concluded negotiations for the FTA last month, marking a significant step in strengthening bilateral economic ties.

Accompanying Political, Press and Projects Adviser for the UK government, Rajinder S Nagarkoti, the Deputy High Commissioner added, “The deal is expected to increase bilateral trade, worth 43 billion pound in year 2024, by 25.5 billion pound, UK GDP by 4.8 billion pound and wages by 2.2 billion pound each year in the long run.”

The UK-India investment relationship currently supports over 6,00,000 jobs across both countries. As of 2024, there are over 950 Indian-owned companies in the UK and over 650 UK companies in India.

On the timeline for the deal’s implementation, she stated, “We will now go through the final steps to sign this treaty and bring this deal into force as quickly as possible, whilst allowing for the necessary scrutiny, so it can deliver growth across the country.”

As part of her Kullu-Manali visit, Rowett is also engaging with stakeholders from the tourism and hospitality sectors, including hoteliers, tour operators, and skiers, to explore collaboration opportunities.

In February, Rowett met with Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu, where she highlighted the UK’s growing investment interests in the state. These include an agro-industry project in Kullu and the establishment of an Indian operation by a Scottish distillery, underscoring the strengthening economic relationship between the UK and Himachal Pradesh.

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