KCCI holds interactive business meet with SGCCI

Srinagar, Aug 01: In a significant push for cross-regional business cooperation, the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) held an interactive business meeting with the Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SGCCI) in Ahmedabad to explore investment opportunities, identify areas of mutual cooperation, and strengthen business ties between the two regions.According to a statement issued here, the high-level interaction was chaired by the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah, and aimed at strengthening bilateral trade, investment, and cultural ties between the two regions.Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, in his address, lauded the initiative and emphasised the importance of translating such engagements into actionable collaborations. He said the focus must be on sectors where impact is visible and achievable in the short term. Solar energy, IT, and electric mobility are areas that can bring real transformation and mutual benefit. The Chief Minister assured the visiting chamber and prospective investors that the Jammu and Kashmir Government will provide single-window facilitation for all genuine investments and joint ventures that emerge out of the KCCI-SGCCI engagement.KCCI President Javid Ahmad Tenga, while welcoming the SGCCI delegation, underscored the significance of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the two chambers in 2023 and reaffirmed KCCI’s commitment to building sustainable, inclusive and forward-looking partnerships. He said the collaboration with SGCCI is rooted in mutual respect, practical engagement, and shared economic aspirations.He highlighted key focus areas identified under the MoU—handicrafts, tourism, horticulture, solar energy, IT infrastructure, industrial investments, and cultural exchanges. “We believe this relationship can help overcome regional economic handicaps and open market access for our artisans and entrepreneurs. It’s time we moved from potential to execution,” Tenga added.SGCCI President Ramesh Vaghasia, while addressing the gathering, announced that SGCCI is actively exploring direct investments in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly in the fields of solar energy, information technology, data centres, and electric mobilityOmar Abdullah stressed that economic cooperation must go hand-in-hand with cultural understanding and people-to-people contact.He expressed hope that this partnership would lead to concrete outcomes in trade, industry, and tourism, ultimately benefiting the people of both Jammu & Kashmir and Gujarat.