12/12/2025
CII in partnership with the Centre for WTO Studies (CWS, Department of Commerce, Government of India) organized a workshop on “Global Government Procurement Trade: Trends, Opportunities and Challenges for India” on 11th December 2025 in Delhi.
This workshop was organized against the backdrop of inclusion of Government Procurement (GP) chapter & provisions in Free Trade Agreements (FTAs). With India incorporating a dedicated GP chapter in its FTAs with the UK and the UAE, and major economies such as the EU seeking access to India’s GP market, the discussions focused on identifying India’s offensive and defensive industry interests. The objective was to help the industry understand the emerging challenges in global public procurement and the opportunities that FTAs can unlock in partner country tenders.
Session I: “Sustainable Procurement and other challenges ahead” explored Indian industry’s experience in bidding for and executing foreign public tenders. Panellists highlighted challenges and emphasized the need to comply with sustainability norms especially in developed markets where green tenders are increasingly shaping procurement choices.
Session II – “Funding the Procurement Contract” delved into the need for financial depth and instruments required to support Indian industry in winning and executing large international contracts. The session also discussed existing tools available through organizations such as the Exim Bank and the ECGC. It featured discussions on how financial mechanisms could be strengthened to meet the sector’s growing needs.
Session III – “Capacity Building and Technical Assistance” aimed to enhance industry understanding of GP provisions in India’s recent FTAs and compare them with public procurement provisions of partners such as the UK and the EFTA. The session also offered a multilateral perspective, highlighting how participation in projects funded by agencies such as the World Bank can benefit Indian industry. It also featured a presentation by the CWS, which shared key findings from its study on government procurement markets, including insights regarding the US, the UK, and the EU.
Through the detailed presentations, interactive panel discussions, and open-floor engagements, participants gained a comprehensive understanding of the emerging opportunities and challenges associated with the inclusion of government procurement chapter in FTAs.
