India-UK free trade agreement comes into force to give zero-duty access for 99% of Indian exports

The landmark India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement came into force on Wednesday. Union Home Minister Amit Shah hailed the pact as key to a "Viksit Bharat," offering zero-duty market access for 99 per cent of Indian exports

New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said that the India-UK free trade agreement is set to unlock untapped potential across labour-intensive industries, offering zero-duty market access for 99 per cent of the country’s exports.

He said the agreement that comes into force on Wednesday is the key to a Viksit Bharat as envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

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“The treaty is set to unlock untapped potential across labour-intensive industries, offering zero-duty market access for 99% of Indian exports, including those in textiles, leather, engineering, food processing, pharmaceuticals and MSME,” Shah said on X.

He said the treaty stands as a testament to the Centre’s pro-people diplomacy.

The treaty will also extend significant exemptions to Indian professionals in the UK, he said.

The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) that came into force on Wednesday was signed between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his UK counterpart Keir Starmer in July last year.

The pact is expected to at least double the trade between the two countries from the current annual levels of estimated 48 billion pounds by 2030, and boost their GDPs by nearly 5 billion pounds every year in the long run.