India-UK Trade Pact Gets Annual Tracking Mechanism

India and the UK agree to exchange annual data on the use of tariff concessions under their trade agreement, aiming to improve implementation, address business concerns and help more small and medium-sized enterprises benefit.

India and the United Kingdom agree to exchange data annually to monitor how businesses use tariff concessions under their Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). The decision emerges from the 16th meeting of the India–UK Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO), held in New Delhi, where Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and UK Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds review progress under the agreement.

The annual data exchange begins one year after CETA enters into force. It will track how frequently businesses claim preferential tariffs and incorporate feedback from industry on implementation challenges. The initiative aims to identify areas requiring additional support, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises seeking to expand exports and access new markets.

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Both countries also agree to establish the committees and working groups предусмотрed under the agreement, designate government contact points and address implementation-related issues promptly. These measures are intended to strengthen coordination between the two administrations and help businesses use the trade agreement more effectively.

Early trade activity indicates growing interest in the agreement. Indian exporters dispatch more than 50 consignments to the UK on the day CETA takes effect. The shipments include smartphones, electrical and mechanical machinery, gold jewellery, ready-made garments, woollen yarn, tea and coffee. Joha rice from Assam also reaches the UK for the first time, creating an additional export opportunity for a distinctive Indian agricultural product.

British exporters also begin using the agreement’s provisions. The first tariff-free consignments of Scottish salmon reach India within a fortnight of implementation, with several thousand kilograms exported since. Scotch whisky enters the Indian market at reduced tariffs, while the first cars exported under the agreement’s tariff-rate quota clear customs.

Beyond merchandise trade, India and the UK identify opportunities to broaden cooperation in services, innovation, government procurement, science and technology, and gender-related initiatives. They also emphasise stronger business-to-business engagement and regional partnerships to encourage investment and commercial collaboration.

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The meeting underscores the countries’ shared ambition to translate CETA’s provisions into tangible economic outcomes. Both sides commit to continued engagement with businesses, industry associations and export promotion organisations to identify obstacles and improve implementation. The 17th JETCO meeting is scheduled to take place in the UK in 2027.