Siliguri: North Bengal’s small and medium enterprises (SMEs) hold significant potential to capitalise on the upcoming India–UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), said Andrew Fleming, British Deputy High Commissioner to Kolkata, at the 9th edition of the CII India Tea Forum 2026 held in Siliguri on Saturday.
The two-day event deliberated on sustainability, regulatory compliance, innovation, exports, tea tourism, next-generation entrepreneurship and evolving global market dynamics. The event has drawn tea producers, exporters, policymakers, financial institutions, start-ups, and international representatives, with strong footfall and exhibitions by major industry players.
Highlighting the growing momentum in bilateral trade, Fleming stated that the UK–India partnership is increasingly driven by strategic alignment and shared opportunities. “North Bengal is well-placed to contribute to the rising momentum in UK–India trade and to match the delivery goals of CETA. I am delighted to be in North Bengal on my first full-fledged business visit.
The region’s strengths in tea, agriculture, logistics, tourism, and a growing services sector present real potential for deeper UK–North Bengal trade collaboration,” he said.
Encouraging cross-border partnerships, Fleming noted that Indian SMEs have been thriving in the UK by meeting global standards and building trust, while British SMEs have found success in India through local partnerships and long-term commitment. “I would particularly like to see more SMEs from North Bengal forge transformative partnerships with their UK counterparts,” he added. Addressing the forum, Debashis Dutta, chairman of CII West Bengal State Council and director of BGS Group said: “Recent land reforms in West Bengal’s tea gardens would play a key role in boosting foreign tourism in the state. The state government has increased land allocation for tea tourism to 30 per cent, a move expected to enhance global tourist inflow and diversify revenue streams for tea estates.”
Dutta also underlined the economic significance of North Bengal’s tea sector, which involves 3,51,615 registered MSMEs and employs nearly 3,00,000 workers in plantations and factories. He added that thousands more depend on allied sectors such as transport, packaging, and agricultural inputs.