PANAJI
The Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) has proposed opening new trade avenues with Portugal, including the export of generic pharmaceutical products, during a meeting with Portuguese Ambassador Manuela Franco last week.
Ambassador Franco was hosted at the GCCI headquarters in Panaji, where she met with Chamber President Pratima Dhond, past presidents Ralph De Sousa and Sandip Bhandare, Women’s Wing Chairperson Sandra Fernandes, Director General Sanjay Amonker, and other senior officials.
Andre Machado from the Portuguese Consulate also participated in the discussions.
Among the key issues raised was the possibility of facilitating visa recommendation letters for GCCI members to strengthen business ties with Portugal.
The Chamber also mooted the idea of exploring direct flight connectivity between Goa and Lisbon, including charter services, to boost tourism and trade.
The highlight of the meeting was GCCI’s pitch to export Goa’s generic pharmaceutical products to Portugal, a move that could open significant opportunities for the State’s pharma industry in European markets.
The Chamber further suggested convening a meeting between IT companies in Goa and the Portuguese envoy to explore collaborations in the technology sector.
Speaking after the meeting, GCCI officials said the discussions were aimed at deepening Goa’s economic engagement with Portugal, a country with which the state shares historic and cultural ties. The Chamber expressed optimism that the initiatives discussed could pave the way for stronger bilateral trade and investment.
The visit by Ambassador Franco marks a renewed effort by GCCI to position Goa as a hub for international business, leveraging its strengths in pharmaceuticals, IT, and tourism.
The Chamber said it would continue to pursue concrete steps to translate these proposals into actionable partnerships.
