Past Events
33rd Annual General Meeting
Deepening EU–India Synergies in Sustainability, Smart Manufacturing & Skills
Overview
The Council of EU Chambers of Commerce in India hosted its 33rd Annual General Meeting (AGM) on September 17, 2025, at the Crystal Room, The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai. Attended by over 300 dignitaries, ambassadors, diplomats, and industry leaders, the milestone event served as a premium bilateral platform to strengthen trade ties, celebrate institutional milestones, and analyze core economic intersections between India and the European Union.
Theme and Agenda
The central theme of the AGM was “Deepening EU–India Synergies in Sustainability, Smart Manufacturing & Skills.” The agenda featured the release of the Annual Activity Report charting the Chamber's expansion to 1,100+ member companies and the strategic commercial launch of a 24x7 Shipping & Logistics Helpdesk. Diplomatic briefings highlighted the upcoming late-2025 conclusion of the EU–India Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and the impending enforcement of the EFTA TEPA pact, while the Government of Maharashtra reaffirmed its complete regulatory and infrastructure support for incoming European investments.
Panelists:
Prof. Prabhat Pani
Outlined the pillars of sustainability (climate, biodiversity, social equity) and connected tangible hard tech power (UPI, ONDC) with traditional soft power.
Mr. Aneel Gambhir
Decoded purposeful logistics investments, highlighting how optimizing warehousing networks unlocks dual benefits in margins and emissions reduction.
Mr. Gaurav Sahgal
Detailed transition risks in global banking and pointed to India's 1,800 Global Capability Centers (GCCs) as proof of rising international credibility.
Mr. Divakar Mittal
Advocated for a Green Health and Climate Nexus to elevate healthcare policy into a prime diplomatic tool.
Mr. Marc Seto Metzelaar
Analyzed scalability, showing how combining Europe’s structural policy frameworks with India's agile problem-solving creates competitive advantages.
Mr. Robin Banerjee
Steered the dialogue around the mechanics of policy alignment, grid digitalization, and joint R&D frameworks.
Dr. S.P. Shukla
Detailed four distinct corporate collaboration models based on technology gaps, productivity deltas, policy drives, and massive market scales.
Mr. Udai Singh
Shared data from modernizing local grids to demonstrate that digital energy tracking yields a 90% increase in reliability and reduces carbon footprints.
Mr. R. Venkatesh
Focused on clean energy roadmaps, urging joint R&D to manage grid fluctuations through localized battery and fuel innovations.
Dr. Santosh Bhosale
Highlighted successful EU–India cross-border corporate alliances (like the AstraZeneca–Serum Institute project) that successfully pair CSR with industrial ecosystems.
Key Speakers
Mr. Rajeev Sharma
Welcomed dignitaries and framed the green transition, Industry 4.0/5.0 skills, and digital localization as foundational industrial imperatives.
Dr. Renu Shome
Presented the Chamber's extensive yearly milestones and spearheaded the launch of the 24x7 trade helpdesk.
Ms. Inga Skruzmane
Shared massive growth metrics in goods trade (€120B in 2024) and detailed upcoming aviation and cargo hub prospects via Riga.
Shri Anandrao V. Patil, IAS
Highlighted national educational policy objectives and government support for structured international university collaborations.
H.E. Mr. Benedikt Höskuldsson
Announced the entry into force of the Iceland–India–EFTA TEPA agreement for October 2025, committing to long-term job creation in India.
Shri Indranil Naik
Expressed the state’s complete readiness to facilitate EU investments and resolve regulatory bottlenecks.
