Under a joint statement released on Monday, India and the United Kingdom settled on a framework requiring yearly exchanges of data tied to their Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) — covering tariff-reduction claims lodged by businesses and feedback gathered on how the pact is operating in practice — with that information-sharing arrangement set to begin twelve months after the agreement enters into effect, the stated aim being to extend the deal's practical reach to a broader pool of companies.

Provisions of CETA took effect on 15 July of this year. Under the agreement, nearly all Indian goods — 99 per cent by tariff line — enter the British market without facing import duties. On the UK side of the arrangement, nine out of every ten goods exported to India attract either no tariff at all or a rate lower than the standard levy.

The agreement has been drawing in sectors spanning automotive, manufacturing, consumer goods, creative industries, and medical technology on both sides, with parties committing to an annual exchange of data — beginning one year after CETA's entry into force — tracking how businesses are making use of its provisions.

The communiqué released following the 16th gathering of the India-UK Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) noted that the review would draw on data tracking how frequently companies make use of CETA's reduced tariff rates, together with industry input on areas performing well and those where additional guidance may be of benefit. A joint outline of priorities would identify areas where both nations can do more to help businesses — particularly smaller enterprises — make use of the deal.

The session was co-chaired by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal alongside Jonathan Reynolds MP, who serves as Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade in the United Kingdom. A statement from the meeting noted that tariff-free Scottish salmon had made its way from the UK to Indian markets within a fortnight of the trade pact taking effect, and that exports had since accumulated into several thousand kilograms.

Scotch whisky has begun reaching consumers there at lower duty rates, while the opening consignment of vehicles permitted under the tariff-rate quota has already passed through customs and arrived in the country. On the treaty's first day in effect, upwards of 50 shipments left India bound for the UK, carrying goods ranging from smartphones and electrical and mechanical machinery — turbojets among them — to gold jewellery, ready-made garments, woollen yarn, tea, and coffee.

The statement added that both parties had also settled on a framework to keep CETA running without disruption, covering the formation of its committees and working groups alongside the designation of government-to-government contact points across every section of the deal.

Beyond the existing trade agreement, the two parties committed to widening their collaboration across services, innovation, government procurement, science and technology, and gender-related areas, while also strengthening direct business connections and building out partnerships at the regional level. The United Kingdom is scheduled to host the 17th edition of JETCO in 2027.