भारत-यूके CETA अंमलात: अहमदाबादमधून निर्यातीचा पहिला साठा रवाना

By GT24x7 Reporter · 15 July 2026 · GlobalToday24x7

The Office of the Additional Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Ahmedabad, in association with the Customs Department, on Wednesday organised a flag-off ceremony at the Inland Container Depot (ICD), Sanand, to mark the first export consignment from the Ahmedabad region to the United Kingdom under the India–United Kingdom Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), which came into effect on July 15, 2026.

The ceremony was attended by Stephen Hickling, Deputy High Commissioner at the British Deputy High Commission, Ahmedabad; Ram Vishnoi, Additional Commissioner of Customs, Ahmedabad; and Rahul Singh, Joint Director General of Foreign Trade, Regional Authority (RA), Ahmedabad. Assistant DGFT officers Deepshikha Singh and Divya Patel were also present, along with representatives of the exporting companies and the Export Promotion Council.

The first consignment comprised cargo from seven exporters in the Ahmedabad region—JCB Industries Pvt. Ltd., Otsuka Pharmaceutical India Pvt. Ltd., Maruti Suzuki India Limited, Canpac Trends Pvt. Ltd., Secure Meters Ltd., Shri Ambica Polymer Pvt. Ltd., and Vishakha Polyfab Pvt. Ltd.—with a combined value of more than ₹3.07 crore. The shipment includes industrial equipment, pharmaceuticals, automobiles, polymers, and textile products, highlighting the region's diversified manufacturing and export capabilities.

The India–UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement was signed on July 24, 2025, in London by Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and the United Kingdom's Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Jonathan Reynolds, in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. The agreement, along with the Double Contribution Convention (DCC) on social security, officially entered into force on July 15, 2026.

Under the agreement, 99 per cent of India's exports to the United Kingdom, covering nearly the entire trade value, will enjoy duty-free market access. Key beneficiaries include labour-intensive sectors such as textiles, leather, marine products, gems and jewellery, and toys, as well as high-growth sectors including engineering goods, chemicals, and automobile components. India has also opened 89.5 per cent of its tariff lines, covering 91 per cent of UK exports, while protecting sensitive sectors such as dairy, cereals, pulses, and select essential oils.

India and the United Kingdom currently share bilateral trade worth around USD 56 billion, including approximately USD 23 billion in merchandise trade and USD 33 billion in services trade. Both countries have set a target of doubling bilateral trade by 2030.

The accompanying Double Contribution Convention exempts Indian professionals on temporary assignments in the UK from paying dual social security contributions for up to five years. The measure is expected to benefit more than 75,000 professionals and over 900 Indian companies, with estimated annual savings exceeding ₹4,000 crore.

Gujarat is expected to be among the major beneficiaries of the trade agreement, particularly in pharmaceuticals from Ahmedabad, chemicals from Surat and Bharuch, engineering goods from Rajkot, and marine products from Veraval. The flag-off of the first export consignment from ICD Sanand marks the formal commencement of preferential-tariff exports from the Ahmedabad region under the India–UK CETA.