The UK-India Business Council (UKIBC) has welcomed the visit of UK Secretary of State for Business and Trade Peter Kyle to India, underscoring the need for the early implementation of the India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) to boost bilateral economic cooperation.
Kyle held talks with Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal during his visit, with both sides discussing measures to bring the agreement into force at the earliest. The FTA, signed in July 2025, is considered the United Kingdom’s most significant bilateral trade pact since leaving the European Union.
According to UKIBC, annual trade between India and the UK is currently valued at £48 billion. The agreement is expected to liberalise 99 per cent of UK tariffs and 90 per cent of Indian tariffs, facilitating smoother and more cost-effective trade between the two countries.
The trade pact includes 30 chapters covering areas such as trade, innovation, labour, environment and gender cooperation, making it one of India’s most comprehensive trade agreements.
Dr. Kishore Jayaraman, Group Chief Executive Officer of UKIBC, said the agreement between the world’s fourth and sixth largest economies had reached its final stage after years of negotiations and would unlock substantial opportunities for businesses and consumers in both countries.
The UK-India Business Council, a not-for-profit organisation that promotes trade and investment between the two countries, said it had worked closely with industry stakeholders and policymakers throughout the negotiation process to support a balanced and mutually beneficial agreement.
