Ahmedabad: The second edition of the CII Gujarat Export Conclave, themed “Our Gateway to Global Success”, concluded on Friday with international diplomats, industry leaders, and over 100 delegates deliberating on strategies to position Gujarat as a global export hub and empower MSMEs in navigating the international trade landscape.

Setting the context, Sunil Dave, Convenor, CII Gujarat Panel on International Trade and MD, BC Instruments India Pvt Ltd, highlighted India’s strong performance in global trade. He noted that India’s total exports reached a record $824.9 billion in FY25, reflecting 6.01% growth, with services exports registering $387.5 billion, up 13.6%.

Achal Bakeri, Vice-Chairman, CII Gujarat State Council, emphasized leveraging Gujarat’s diaspora and cultural heritage as soft power assets. He called for transitioning from “Ease of Doing Business” to “Ease of Exporting 2.0” through deeper reforms.

Kulin Lalbhai, Immediate Past Chairman, CII Gujarat State Council, urged MSMEs to embrace innovation to remain resilient in rapidly evolving global markets, drawing on his experience from the conclave’s first edition.

Highlighting Gujarat’s maritime advantage, Nilabhra Dasgupta, Deputy Chairman, Deendayal Port Authority, Kandla, said: “Gujarat’s ports handle over 40% of India’s cargo traffic, making them the backbone of our export ecosystem. By leveraging advanced port infrastructure and seamless connectivity, we can transform Gujarat into India’s premier export gateway.”

A panel discussion on export opportunities and MSME roadmaps, moderated by Jalay Pandya, featured experts including Aenna Jagga (Adani Ports & SEZ), Subir Das (ECGC), Deval Shah (Senores Pharmaceuticals Ltd), Sanjay Notani (Economic Laws Practice), Kartik Pancholi (FFFAI), and Rajeev Sharma (EDII). They shared strategies on credit security, legal compliance, and workforce development.

The Global Partners’ Forum enabled dialogue with diplomats such as Yann Sinclair (Australian Consulate), Eva Verstraelen (Flanders, Belgium), and representatives from the British Deputy High Commission, who explored opportunities in innovation, technology transfer, and sustainable trade.

Closing the event, Sunil Dave expressed optimism about Gujarat’s trajectory: “We are not just opening gateways to global success—we are building bridges to a brighter, more connected world.”

The conclave drew participation from more than 150 experts representing exports, logistics, MSMEs, and allied sectors, underscoring strong public-private partnership in driving Gujarat’s role in India’s export-led growth.