New Delhi: Export consignments worth over $140 million were dispatched on the first day of the landmark India–United Kingdom Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) coming into force this week.
Along with CETA, the Agreement on Social Security, also known as the Double Contribution Convention (DCC), formally entered into force, marking a major milestone in the economic partnership between the two countries.
The Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said that more than $140 million worth of goods were being exported to the United Kingdom on the first day of implementation under the India–UK CETA. He expressed confidence that sustained utilisation of the Agreement would strengthen India–UK trade and encourage the pursuit of other trade initiatives currently under consideration.
During the day, over 50 export consignments valued at more than $140 million were flagged off from more than 20 ports, airports, Inland Container Depots (ICDs), Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and factories across India. The consignments covered a wide range of products including electronics, pharmaceuticals and gems and jewelry, and were dispatched from locations including the seaports of Mundra, Nhava Sheva and Chennai, as well as air cargo complexes at Mumbai (Sahar), Kolkata, and Hyderabad, according to an official statement.
In a post on X, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said that the entry into force of the India–UK CETA and the Agreement on Social Security marks a defining milestone in India–UK relations. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Agreements have come into force, providing zero-duty market access for nearly 99 per cent of India’s exports and covering almost 100 per cent of trade value.
