India Urges UK to Speed Up Trade Pact Activation for Zero-Duty Exports!

India has called on the United Kingdom to expedite the approval process for the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), signed on July 24, 2025, to enable its swift implementation, Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal announced on Thursday. The agreement, awaiting UK parliamentary approval, is poised to grant 99% of Indian exports duty-free access to the UK market starting next year.

Barthwal emphasized that operationalizing the agreement within six months would provide Indian exports immediate zero-duty access, offsetting potential tariff disadvantages in markets like the US. “We have requested the UK to fast-track so that it comes into force as early as possible,” he told reporters. The CETA, signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the UK, also reduces tariffs on British goods such as cars, whisky, chocolates, biscuits, and cosmetics in India.

Indian sectors, including textiles, footwear, gems and jewellery, sports goods, and toys, stand to gain significant market access in the UK. Additionally, the agreement includes a Double Contributions Convention, exempting Indian companies like TCS and Infosys from UK social security contributions for employees temporarily relocated from India for up to three years, boosting cost efficiencies for IT firms.

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