Ahmedabad — In a major step toward enhancing cross-regional business ties, the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) and the Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SGCCI) held a high-profile business interaction in Ahmedabad to explore investment opportunities and deepen economic cooperation between Jammu & Kashmir and Gujarat.
The event, chaired by Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, focused on strengthening bilateral trade, investment, and cultural exchanges. The meeting brought together key business leaders and policymakers from both regions to discuss actionable areas for collaboration.
KCCI President Javid Ahmad Tenga welcomed the SGCCI delegation and emphasized the importance of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the two chambers in 2023. He reiterated KCCI’s commitment to fostering sustainable and inclusive partnerships, rooted in mutual economic aspirations.
“This partnership is about moving from potential to execution,” Tenga said, outlining key focus areas under the MoU including handicrafts, tourism, horticulture, solar energy, IT infrastructure, and industrial investments. “This collaboration will provide market access for our artisans and entrepreneurs while addressing regional economic handicaps.”
SGCCI President Ramesh Vaghasia highlighted his chamber’s interest in investing directly in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly in solar energy, data centres, IT, and electric mobility. “With SGCCI’s global presence in 84 countries, we aim to connect investors and entrepreneurs with the unique opportunities in Kashmir,” Vaghasia said. He invited KCCI to participate in key trade events in Gujarat, particularly during the winter season when Kashmiri products are in high demand.
A major highlight of the interaction was SGCCI’s formal invitation to the Jammu and Kashmir Government and KCCI to participate in the Global Investment and Tourism Expo scheduled in Surat from August 23 to 25, 2025. The event is expected to attract major industrialists, investors, and trade representatives from across India and abroad.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, in his address, welcomed the initiative and called for concrete, time-bound action. “We must focus on sectors where results can be delivered quickly—solar energy, IT, and electric mobility have the potential to transform our economy,” he said. The Chief Minister assured single-window facilitation for all genuine investments and joint ventures that emerge from the KCCI-SGCCI partnership.
He also stressed that economic cooperation should go hand-in-hand with people-to-people connections and cultural understanding. Commending both chambers for their vision, he expressed hope that the collaboration would lead to tangible outcomes in trade, tourism, and industrial growth.
The meeting was attended by several senior officials and public representatives including Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani, MLAs Farooq Ahmad Shah (Gulmarg) and Altaf Ahmad Kaloo (Pahalgam), and Additional Chief Secretary Dheeraj Gupta.
The KCCI delegation featured Secretary General Faiz Ahmad Bakshi, Joint Secretary General Umar Nazir Tibetbaqal, Executive Committee Members Amir Manzoor Guna and Muhammad Ibrahim Siah, along with prominent hotelier and KCCI member Mushtaq Ahmad Chaya and other key stakeholders.
Both chambers concluded the meeting on a positive note, agreeing to establish sectoral coordination groups to follow up on investment proposals and prepare for a strong presence at the Surat expo later this month.
