India-UK Free Trade Agreement Set to Transform Hospitality and Agri-Exports Sectors

India-UK Free Trade Agreement Set to Transform Hospitality and Agri-Exports Sectors

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on July 30, 2025

In a landmark step towards economic cooperation, India and the United Kingdom officially signed the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) on July 24, 2025. The deal is set to dramatically alter the landscape for Indian hospitality, agri-exports, and employment by easing trade barriers, boosting investments, and fostering talent exchange.

One of the most immediate beneficiaries of the FTA is India’s hospitality sector, which stands to gain from the phased reduction of import duties on premium UK spirits. With tariffs on Scotch whisky and gin dropping from 150% to 75% immediately, and to 40% over the next decade, Indian hotels, bars, and restaurants can now access and offer high-end imported beverages at competitive prices. This move aligns perfectly with the rising demand for luxury and global experiences among Indian consumers and foreign travelers alike.

The impact extends beyond beverages. The FTA encourages UK investment in Indian hospitality infrastructure, including joint ventures and upscale F&B concepts. Liberalized visa norms under the agreement also pave the way for greater mobility of skilled professionals, chefs, sommeliers, and hospitality managers, facilitating international collaborations and skill-sharing that will raise India’s service standards to global benchmarks.

Meanwhile, the agriculture and food processing industries are equally poised for transformation. The FTA eliminates or significantly reduces tariffs on a wide range of Indian meat, seafood, and vegetable exports. This is particularly impactful for Indian seafood producers, who will now enjoy tariff-free access to the UK’s £5.4 billion seafood market. Industry experts estimate a potential 70% surge in marine product exports, benefitting coastal states like Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, and improving incomes for lakhs of fisherfolk.

The agreement also grants duty-free access to over 95% of Indian agricultural and processed food products, including pulses, spices, and ready-to-eat meals. Key crop-producing regions like Maharashtra, Punjab, and Kerala will be able to tap into new market opportunities, enhancing farmer income and driving rural employment.

From an employment standpoint, the FTA is expected to create over one million new jobs in India over the next five years. With expanded export markets and rising demand, opportunities will grow across farming, aquaculture, food processing, packaging, logistics, and hospitality services. The deal also includes institutional support for skill development and mutual qualification recognition, making it easier for Indian professionals to find work in the UK or contribute to UK-compliant operations in India.

According to experts, the FTA’s provisions on technology transfer, automation, and real-time distribution will also help modernize Indian hospitality supply chains. Similarly, voices from the seafood and agri-export sectors have hailed the agreement as a long-overdue enabler of market access and profitability.

By reducing tariffs, fostering professional exchange, and unlocking export markets, the India-UK FTA of 2025 emerges as a powerful catalyst for India’s hospitality and agri-based industries. As global tastes converge and trade becomes more seamless, Indian enterprises, from boutique hotels to shrimp exporters are better equipped to meet international standards, serve discerning customers, and scale up with confidence.


Antica Ceramica Reimagines Kota Stone Legacy with a Contemporary Wall and Floor Tile Collection

Antica Ceramica Reimagines Kota Stone Legacy with a Contemporary Wall and Floor Tile Collection

By Hariharan U

Published on December 25, 2025

Antica Ceramica, a trusted name in India’s premium ceramic industry, has unveiled its latest Kota-inspired wall and floor tile collection, reinterpreting one of the country’s most enduring architectural materials for contemporary spaces. The new range pays tribute to the legacy of Kota stone while addressing the functional and aesthetic demands of modern construction and interior design.

Rooted in the heritage of Kota stone, a natural limestone traditionally quarried in Rajasthan, the collection draws inspiration from a material long valued for its durability, cooling properties, and understated elegance. Widely used in Indian homes, palaces, temples, courtyards, and institutional buildings, Kota stone has been a defining element of India’s built environment for generations. Antica Ceramica brings this legacy forward through advanced ceramic engineering, retaining the look and feel of Kota while overcoming the limitations of natural stone.

The collection is developed in a 600 x 1200 mm large-format size with a thickness of 10 mm, offering versatility across residential, commercial, and hospitality applications. The larger format allows for fewer grout lines, creating a seamless, expansive visual effect that suits modern interiors and open-plan layouts. This format also enables architects and designers to create cohesive design narratives across floors and walls with ease.

Designed for both performance and aesthetics, the tiles are stain-resistant, durable, and suitable for high footfall areas. A carefully engineered non-slip surface enhances safety, making the collection ideal for spaces such as hotels, restaurants, lobbies, corridors, kitchens, and bathrooms. The tiles also offer consistent colour, uniform texture, and dimensional stability, ensuring long-term reliability and easy maintenance compared to natural stone.

In residential settings, the collection adds a calm, earthy character to living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, balconies, and bathrooms. The subtle tonal variations and stone-inspired finish create warmth and authenticity, allowing the surfaces to blend effortlessly with both contemporary and traditional décor styles.

For commercial and hospitality environments including hotels, retail spaces, offices, and public areas the collection strikes a balance between visual refinement and operational practicality. Its durability and slip-resistant properties make it suitable for high-traffic zones, while the timeless Kota-inspired aesthetic ensures lasting relevance.

Speaking on the launch, Rahul Bhugra, Director, Antica Ceramica, said, “Kota stone is deeply embedded in India’s architectural identity. It represents simplicity, resilience, and timeless beauty. With this collection, we wanted to honour that heritage while adapting it to modern lifestyles and construction needs. These tiles bring together the visual depth of traditional Kota with the precision, safety, and performance required in today’s spaces.”

With this launch, Antica Ceramica reinforces its commitment to creating surfaces that are culturally rooted, technically advanced, and design-forward. The Kota-inspired wall and floor tile collection stands as a thoughtful blend of Indian heritage and contemporary innovation, offering architects, designers, and homeowners a versatile solution for modern living and hospitality spaces


Manglam Group Enters Hospitality With Launch of The Westin Jaipur Kant Kalwar Resort & Spa

Manglam Group Enters Hospitality With Launch of The Westin Jaipur Kant Kalwar Resort & Spa

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on December 24, 2025

Manglam Group, one of Rajasthan’s leading real estate developers, has formally expanded into the hospitality sector with the launch of The Westin Jaipur Kant Kalwar Resort & Spa, marking its first hospitality project. The opening is a significant milestone for the Group and also represents Marriott International’s 200th property in India, highlighting Jaipur’s growing prominence as a destination for leisure, business travel and large-scale social and corporate events.

The resort has been developed under Manglam Spa and Resorts, the Group’s dedicated hospitality vertical, and forms part of Manglam’s long-term ₹1,000 crore hospitality investment plan. Built with an investment of approximately ₹300 crore, the property serves as the anchor asset for Manglam’s hospitality ambitions, with plans to build a diversified portfolio across super luxury hotels, wellness-focused resorts and serviced hospitality formats.

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Located at Kant Kalwar, at the foothills of the Aravalli range, The Westin Jaipur Kant Kalwar Resort & Spa spans nine acres and features 135 rooms along with seven distinct venues for events and gatherings. The resort has been designed with sustainability at its core, blending Balinese-inspired architecture with locally sourced materials, natural textures and ecologically sensitive landscaping. Lush gardens, reflective water elements, a horseshoe-shaped pool and wellness-oriented public spaces come together with subtle references to Jaipur’s royal heritage.

Commenting on the launch, Mr. N K Gupta, Chairman, Manglam Group, said, “Having built a legacy of transforming real estate in Rajasthan through world-class infrastructure and disciplined delivery, stepping into hospitality was a natural progression for Manglam. The Westin Jaipur reflects our commitment to creating assets that elevate the city’s global standing. As Marriott International’s 200th property in India, this launch not only celebrates a milestone for the brand, it also sets the tone for Manglam’s future in hospitality with projects that are premium, service-led and internationally benchmarked.”

Wellbeing forms the core of the guest experience, guided by The Westin brand’s Six Pillars of Well-Being. The resort offers the WestinWORKOUT® Studio, outdoor movement spaces, cycling and jogging tracks, and the Heavenly Spa by Westin, featuring curated therapies and restorative wellness rituals. Dining options range from wellness-forward all-day dining experiences to destination-inspired Indian cuisine and relaxed lounge formats, balancing nourishment with indulgence.

Ms. Amrita Gupta, Director, Manglam Group and CEO, Manglam Spa and Resorts, said, “For us, this opening represents the start of a vision we have nurtured for years. This partnership with The Westin elevates Manglam’s presence at a global level. It brings international hospitality standards, refined wellbeing experiences and world-class design to Jaipur. The Westin Jaipur Kant Kalwar Resort & Spa is just the beginning, and several more premium and super luxury hospitality projects are in the pipeline.”

Service excellence remains central to Manglam’s hospitality strategy, with a strong focus on intuitive planning, operational depth and consistent delivery, supported by sustainability-led practices such as energy efficiency, climate-responsive design and responsible operations.

Beyond The Westin Jaipur Kant Kalwar Resort & Spa, Manglam is developing over 200 serviced apart’otel units under the Fern Habitat brand at Pinkwalk, Jagatpura, strengthening its presence in the serviced-stay segment. Two additional hospitality projects, including a resort-led concept and an urban hotel format, are also in active planning, aimed at addressing both leisure and business travel demand and reinforcing Jaipur’s position as a destination for world-class hospitality experiences.


PRISM Launches ‘Insta Stays’ Programme for OYO Properties to Meet Rising New Year Travel Demand

PRISM Launches ‘Insta Stays’ Programme for OYO Properties to Meet Rising New Year Travel Demand

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on December 24, 2025

Oravel Stays Limited, operating under PRISM, has announced the launch of its new ‘Insta Stays’ programme across all OYO properties in India, aimed at catering to the surge in last-minute travel planning as New Year demand gains momentum. The initiative allows travellers to make quick bookings via the OYO app or website by selecting the Insta Stays option available on the home page.

OYO, a value-stay hospitality brand, currently operates over 13,000 hotels across India. Under the new programme, OYO Wizard members receive an additional 5% exclusive discount on Insta Stays bookings. With a membership base of over 18 million users, OYO Wizard continues to be one of India’s largest hotel loyalty programmes, reflecting a growing preference among travellers for trusted brands and value-driven loyalty benefits.

Designed especially for spontaneous travellers, Insta Stays offers a seamless booking experience with instant confirmation, verified properties, and exclusive savings. Rooms under the programme start at INR 999, even during peak travel periods, making it a convenient option for guests planning trips at short notice.

According to OYO’s internal booking data from recent years, last-minute hotel searches typically rise sharply during the year-end holiday season. This demand is largely driven by travel to popular leisure and religious destinations such as Goa, Manali, Jaipur, Rishikesh, Varanasi, Katra, Puri, Ayodhya, Ooty, and Pondicherry.

Commenting on the initiative, Varun Jain, Chief Operating Officer, PRISM Asia, said, “Guests can expect a seamless and hassle-free stay experience, powered by one of the fastest check-in processes in the category. With instant booking confirmation, digitally enabled check-ins and fully verified properties, the programme significantly reduces waiting time at hotels, allowing travellers to check in within minutes and focus on their stay.” He added that the guest-first approach is designed to deliver consistency, comfort, and convenience, especially during peak travel seasons and last-minute bookings.

PRISM expects the Insta Stays programme to play a crucial role during high-demand travel periods by offering greater booking certainty for travellers while enabling hotel partners to maximise occupancy.

About PRISM

PRISM, the parent company of OYO, operates a diverse portfolio of brands serving over 100 million customers across more than 35 countries. Its offerings span short stays, extended living, luxury travel, co-working spaces, celebration venues, and hospitality technology solutions, with a focus on simplifying and enhancing urban living through scalable innovation.

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