17th December, 2025: The Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO), Eastern Region, hosted an exclusive conversation with Amitabh Kant at ITC Sonar Bangla, Kolkata, on the 14th of December, bringing together exporters, industry leaders and policymakers for a focused dialogue on India’s trade strategy amid a rapidly evolving global economic landscape.
The evening was hosted by Abhishek Poddar, Regional Chairman, FIEO (Eastern Region), and addressed the structural, geopolitical and policy challenges confronting Indian exporters – from rising protectionism and tariff barriers to global supply-chain realignments and the urgent need for competitiveness-led reforms.
The discussion examined how India must recalibrate its approach in an increasingly fragmented global trade environment shaped by localisation pressures, carbon-linked trade mechanisms and shifting geopolitical alignments. With global buyers reassessing supply chains beyond China, the conversation focused on the steps required for India to scale manufacturing, move up global value chains and strengthen export resilience.
Emphasising the opportunity created by technological advancement despite geopolitical uncertainty, Mr. Kant highlighted the central role of exports in India’s growth trajectory.
“The fact that you could export at the lowest cost will not be there now, and that is what we need to understand about geopolitics. This will, however, be the greatest era for growth and productivity because of the technology available today. It is a significant opportunity for businesses. Exports are critical for India’s growth, and FIEO members are crucial in making this happen. Manufacturing must grow sixteen-fold for India to reach the Prime Minister’s vision for the economy,” Mr. Kant said.
The dialogue also focused on the need to expand manufacturing’s share of GDP, reduce compliance burdens for MSMEs, and accelerate decision-making and implementation at the ground level to unlock export growth across sectors, including labour-intensive industries.
Drawing from his experience shaping India’s global narrative – Kant spoke about the importance of credibility, scale and consistency in positioning “Made in India” as a trusted global export brand.
As part of the programme, Amitabh Kant was felicitated by Abhishek Poddar in recognition of his contribution to India’s economic and policy framework.
The session concluded with an interactive audience Q&A, followed by one-to-one media interactions with the speakers.
