First consignments from different parts of India sent to UK under CETA
New Delhi, July 15
As the India–United Kingdom Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) came into effect today, the first consignments from different parts of the country have begun their journey to the UK.
In Karnataka, The Deputy High Commissioner of UK, Chandru Iyer, flagged off shipments to the UK in Bengaluru. Speaking to Akashvani News, he said that the goods from both countries will get preferential tariffs that will further boost bilateral trade between the two countries.
In West Bengal, as part of the flag-off ceremony, an event has been organised in Kolkata, at the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport cargo complex today. Gold jewellery, betel leaves, coffee and tea export consignments ceremonially sent from the international cargo complex of the NSCBI airport in Kolkata today. Jute, engineering products and goods from north east would be benefitted with this Free Trade Agreement. Addressing the programme the Commerce and Industry Minister of West Bengal Tapas Roy called it a historical day.
In Hyderabad, the inaugural consignment of export shipments from Telangana to the UK was flagged off this morning. The launch ceremony was attended by several senior officials, including Telangana’s Special Secretary for Industries Krishna Aditya, DGFT Additional Director Dr. Sampath Kumar, VSEZ Deputy Commissioner Bhavani Sri and Regional Head R.P. Naidu. The trade pact is expected to significantly enhance market access for Indian exports through the elimination of tariffs, simplified customs procedures, and improved regulatory cooperation. Officials anticipate that these tariff concessions will create robust new opportunities for exporters across multiple sectors while substantially boosting the competitiveness of Telangana’s products in the UK market.
Meanwhile, ready-made garments and woollen and worsted yarn were flagged off from Punjab’s Amritsar and Ludhiana. At Ludhiana, the ceremony was jointly organised at Sahnewal by DGFT (RA) Ludhiana, the Customs Commissionerate, Ludhiana, and FIEO. In Amritsar, the consignment of ready-made garments was flagged off from Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport through Air India’s direct flight to Birmingham. The agreement secures zero-duty market access for nearly 99% of India’s exports to the UK, expands opportunities across 137 services sub-sectors, and boosts key sectors, including textiles, leather, engineering, food processing, pharmaceuticals and MSMEs.
In Maharashtra, export shipments were flagged off from Nhava Sheva and SEEPZ-SEZ in Mumbai. At Nhava Sheva, India’s largest containerised cargo port, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Regional Authority Mumbai, flagged off consignments from seven exporters representing sectors including chemicals, pharmaceuticals, plastics, food products, enzymes, and spices, marking the commencement of exports under the agreement. Senior Customs and DGFT officials attended the ceremony. At SEEPZ-SEZ, India’s first Special Economic Zone and a leading export hub for gems and jewellery, Development Commissioner Dnyaneshwar B. Patil led a flag-off ceremony for export shipments to the United Kingdom.
A presentation on the agreement highlighted that the gems and jewellery sector contributes over ₹2,109 crore to SEEPZ’s exports to the UK. With the UK’s 4% import duty abolished from today, the sector is expected to receive an annual tariff benefit of about ₹84 crore, besides improved competitiveness, higher investments, employment generation, and a boost to exports.