A bilateral trade target of double current volumes by 2030 sits at the centre of talks between India and the United Kingdom, with Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal urging businesses across both nations to draw more fully on the newly enacted Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) as a vehicle for reaching that goal.

At the 16th India-UK Joint Economic and Trade Committee gathering held in New Delhi, Goyal expressed the view that the accord should drive growth across exports, inward investment, commercial partnerships, and employment. Two officials — Jonathan Reynolds, holding the business secretary portfolio in the UK, and Jitin Prasada, serving as India's Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry — took part in the gathering.

The JETCO gathering marked the first time the two sides had convened under the arrangement since CETA took effect on 15 July 2026. Talks covered early reactions to the agreement and mapped out measures aimed at helping businesses take advantage of the updated trade framework.

Goyal stated that CETA had unlocked duty-free entry into the UK market for the bulk of Indian exports, while at the same time extending fresh commercial avenues to British firms operating in India. He pressed businesses to pursue the goal of turning the agreement's provisions into tangible commercial outcomes.

Five domains drew the minister's attention as priorities for strengthened collaboration: building out infrastructure and clean energy, advancing manufacturing capacity, pushing forward on technology and innovation, deepening ties in financial services, and broadening work across healthcare and consumer goods. Among the sectors under consideration are electric vehicles, batteries, electronics, artificial intelligence, semiconductors, renewable energy, and pharmaceuticals.

Potential collaboration between London's financial district and Gujarat's GIFT City — spanning fintech, insurance, and trade finance — was among the prospects Goyal identified. India's manufacturing base, digital networks, and pool of trained workers were described as fitting counterparts to Britain's established positions in research, design, advanced technology, and financial services.

According to the joint statement, companies had begun drawing on CETA's provisions shortly after the agreement entered into force. Over 50 shipments left India bound for the UK on the opening day of trade, carrying a range of goods — from smartphones and machinery through to jewellery, garments, tea, and coffee.

Joha rice from Assam made its way to British consumers for the first time through that consignment, while Scottish salmon — entering India free of import duties — completed the crossing within a fortnight of the deal coming into force. Under the reduced duty rates, Scotch whisky began appearing on Indian retail shelves while the first vehicles eligible under the agreement's tariff-rate quota cleared customs at the border.

Whether the deal delivers on its goals, Reynolds noted, hinges on how actively companies take it up — channelling it toward new export opportunities, fresh capital flows, and cross-border partnerships. He sought actionable direction on tariff reductions, rules of origin, customs procedures, and regulatory requirements, with particular attention to the needs of micro, small, and medium enterprises and those entering export markets for the first time.

Under the arrangement, firms' use of the trade deal would be monitored through periodic reviews, with data exchanged between the two sides on a yearly basis starting one year after the pact took effect, while joint committees and working groups would handle any disputes or difficulties that arose.

Tighter collaboration between Indian and British firms, universities, and industry bodies — spanning artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and data centres — was among the priorities Prasada put forward. Pairing Britain's research strengths with India's capacity to engineer and roll out technology at scale, he argued, opens a path toward new openings across international markets.

Seven mayors and a combined authority leader drawn from northern England were also present at the gathering, part of a broader push to build economic ties that reach beyond central governments and established business hubs. Both delegations agreed that a follow-on JETCO gathering would convene on British soil in 2027.