Indore (Madhya Pradesh): In a unique and record-setting initiative, India-United Kingdom Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) has been engraved on 1,035 brass pages, marking an unprecedented
way of preserving a landmark international accord.
The agreement, signed on July 24 spans 30 chapters and 2,065 pages, outlining wide-ranging aspects of bilateral trade, investment and cooperation.
The pact, three years in the making through multiple high-level meetings between New Delhi and London, is expected to significantly impact citizens of both nations in the years ahead.
To make the agreement accessible and symbolic, the massive document was transformed into a brass-page edition as part of the "Samvidhan Se Desh" book project. A total of 1,033 brass pages were used to print the 2,065-page text, along with a main title page and a final closing page, bringing the count to 1,035.
The effort involved 630 hours of meticulous work, including preparing 2,066 PLT files in just 114 hours and 56 minutes — a feat claimed to be a world record for transferring PDF screenshots into PLT format in such a short duration. Printing itself took 103 hours and 25 minutes, followed by 18 hours of precise page cutting.
Remarkably, the project was funded through public participation, with 1,000 MBA finance students each contributing Rs 5 on a “once in a lifetime” basis. These students also assisted in execution, making it a collaborative effort blending technical innovation with civic engagement.
Advocate Lokesh Mangal, editor of the initiative, said that the feat was achieved following inspiration from Karnataka Governor Thawarchand Gehlot, Mangal highlighted that the brass edition would serve not only as a historic artifact but also as a means of sharing information about the agreement with citizens of both countries and the wider world.
Observers have called the endeavour “a shocking and inspiring achievement” — not only for its artistic and technical scale but also for its symbolic representation of global diplomacy preserved in enduring metal.
