India-UK trade deal
A new chapter is going to start soon in the trade relations between India and Britain. India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement or CETA is expected to be implemented in the first six months of 2026. According to Britain’s Deputy High Commissioner Andrew Fleming, this agreement will take the economic relations between the two countries to a new height and will open many new avenues of trade.
The British official has described this agreement as the most comprehensive and ambitious trade deal ever. He said that this is an agreement on which the governments of both the countries have negotiated for a long time. Many important aspects like tariff, technology, service sector and investment have been included in this agreement of about 20 thousand pages.
Big opportunities for Indian businessmen
Indian exporters are going to get the biggest benefit of CETA. After the implementation of this agreement, about 99 percent of Indian products will get duty-free entry in Britain. This will directly benefit sectors like textile, leather, gems and jewellery, marine products and toys. Along with this, new markets will also open for fast growing sectors like engineering, chemical and auto parts.
Service sector will also get a boost
This agreement is not limited to goods only, but also focuses specifically on the service sector which is considered the strength of India. There are expected to be better opportunities in Britain for Indians working in IT, financial services and professional services. With this, we can see good growth in service trade between the two countries.
Special provisions for women and MSMEs
A special feature of CETA is that a separate chapter on women and gender related business has been included in it. This has happened for the first time in any India-UK trade agreement. This is important for states like West Bengal, where the number of women-led businesses is high. This is expected to strengthen the artisans, small businessmen and MSME sector.
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target of doubling business
At present the annual trade between India and Britain is about 56 billion dollars. The aim of this agreement is to double it to 112 billion dollars in the coming time. Through this, both the countries want to deepen economic cooperation.
Eye on the first half of 2026
The British Deputy High Commissioner made it clear that preparations for the implementation of CETA are going on at a fast pace and the first six months of 2026 is being considered as its possible deadline. He appealed to Indian businessmen to prepare themselves from now on to avail the benefits of this agreement. Overall, the India-UK trade pact is being considered a win-win deal for both the countries, which can give a new impetus to employment, investment and economic development.