Britain has just bagged its biggest post-Brexit win — a historic UK-India Free Trade Agreement that's set to turbocharge trade by £25.5 billion annually by 2040, deliver a £4.8 billion GDP boost, and hike UK wages by £2.2 billion each year.
Signed in %%UKNIP_ANCHOR_0%% on 6 May 2025 by Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds and Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, the deal is a seismic shift in relations between the world's fifth and sixth-largest economies.
Huge Tariff %%UKNIP_ANCHOR_1%% Unleashed
India will %%UKNIP_ANCHOR_2%% tariffs on 90% of goods, with 85% becoming fully tariff-free within a decade.
Whisky and %%UKNIP_ANCHOR_3%%: Tariffs slashed from 150% to 75% immediately, dropping to 40% within ten years.
Cars: Duties %%UKNIP_ANCHOR_4%% from over 100% to just 10% under a new quota system.
Other %%UKNIP_ANCHOR_5%%: UK-made cosmetics, lamb, medical devices, and chocolate among the big winners.
Meanwhile, UK shoppers will enjoy cheaper imports of %%UKNIP_ANCHOR_6%%, footwear, and seafood thanks to tariff liberalisations on the British side.
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The %%UKNIP_ANCHOR_8%% will cut red tape for SMEs, streamline customs, and support digital contracts, making it easier than ever for small firms to tap into India's booming economy.
Key %%UKNIP_ANCHOR_9%% for a major lift include:
Aerospace and Automotive: Easier access for %%UKNIP_ANCHOR_10%% manufacturing exports.
Clean %%UKNIP_ANCHOR_11%%: UK firms welcomed into India's massive renewables push.
Life %%UKNIP_ANCHOR_12%%: Tariff cuts on crucial medical devices.
Creative %%UKNIP_ANCHOR_13%%: Stronger copyright protections.
%%UKNIP_ANCHOR_14%%: Greater market security for UK firms.
Industry Leaders %%UKNIP_ANCHOR_15%%
Mark %%UKNIP_ANCHOR_16%% of the Scotch Whisky Association hailed the deal as "transformational," predicting a £1 billion export boom for whisky alone.
Premier League boss Richard Masters said the deal could supercharge British %%UKNIP_ANCHOR_17%% exports to India.
Standard Chartered CEO Bill Winters %%UKNIP_ANCHOR_18%% it a "significant achievement" for innovation.
UPS UK's Markus Kessler said the deal would "connect British businesses to one of the world's most dynamic markets."
%%UKNIP_ANCHOR_19%% Buzz
Across X and %%UKNIP_ANCHOR_20%%, Brits celebrated the breakthrough:
"Whisky, cars, and %%UKNIP_ANCHOR_21%% — what's not to love? ???? #TradeWin"
"UK businesses %%UKNIP_ANCHOR_22%% getting a piece of India's growth story. Brilliant move post-Brexit!"
A New Era in Global Trade
The deal symbolises a stronger partnership between the UK and India — two democracies with deep historical ties, %%UKNIP_ANCHOR_23%%.
With %%UKNIP_ANCHOR_24%% opportunities unlocked, this agreement is a giant leap forward for Global Britain, delivering on its Plan for Change and securing prosperity for decades to come.
