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Vikram Doraiswami wrapped his tenure as India's High Commissioner to the UK this week to head over to Beijing, where he will take up his new post as Ambassador to China. UK Foreign Office Minister for the Indo-Pacific Seema Malhotra hailed Doraiswami's role in taking the bilateral partnership to a "new level" during the course of his over three-year assignment in London. The British Indian minister referenced his "unflappable nature" and charm in overseeing the successful conclusion of the India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) as one of the key highlights of the bilateral relationship last year. "You've taken the partnership between our countries to a new level, playing that central role in bringing the Free Trade Agreement to its conclusion and been part of making sure that the trade agreement dealt with every challenge in its way," said Malhotra, at a farewell gathering in London recently. "Your work has helped unlock new investment through the UK-India Infrastructure Financing ...
The India-UK free trade agreement, signed in July last year, is likely to come into force from the second week of May, according to an official. India and the UK, on July 24, 2025, signed the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), under which 99 per cent of Indian exports will enter the British market at zero duty, while tariffs on British products, such as cars and whisky, will be reduced in India. "We are expecting the pact to be implemented from the second week of May," the official said. The two countries have also signed the Double Contributions Convention (DCC) pact to ensure temporary workers would not have to duplicate social levies in either country. The official said that both pacts are likely to be implemented in parallel. CETA aims to double the USD 56 billion trade between the two economies by 2030. While India has opened its market to various consumer goods, including chocolates, biscuits, and cosmetics, it will gain greater access to export products, su
India and the UK are making a "genuine" effort to see if the bilateral free trade agreement can be operationalised in April this year, Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said on Monday. India and the UK, on July 24, 2025, signed the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) under which 99 per cent of Indian exports will enter the British market at zero duty, while tariffs on British products such as cars and whisky will be reduced in India. The pact needs approval from the UK parliament before it is implemented. In India, the Union Cabinet approves such agreements. After it gets approved by the British parliament, it will be implemented on a mutually agreed date. "I think both sides are working to operationalize it as fast as possible. As some stories have come in the news that it may get operationalized in April, we are making an effort towards that. But I don't know whether that is the date or it will happen beyond that. But we are trying. Our genuine effort on both sides
A joint military exercise of Indian and British troops concluded on Sunday, with the drill this time focusing on peace-enforcement operations in a counter-terrorism environment, officials said. This was the eighth edition of the biennial Army exercise 'Ajeya Warrior'. "The A (AMBOOR) Company 2nd Battalion Royal Gurkha Rifles of the British Army, and the 21st Sikh Regiment of the Indian Army have been undertaking complex training at the Mahajan Field Firing Ranges in Rajasthan since the start of the exercise on November 17," the British High Commission said in a statement here. Continuing the trend of increasing complexity and interoperability, the exercise this time focused on conducting peace-enforcing operations in a counter-terrorism environment as mandated under Chapter 7 of the United Nations Charter, it said. This involved executing simulated operations in a multi-domain urban and semi-urban environment. During the exercise, the two armies shared standard operating procedure
Exporters in Rajasthan are expecting a sharp rise in gems, jewellery, handicrafts and textiles shipments to the United Kingdom once the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with India comes into effect. As part of the FTA, which was signed in July this year and is likely to come into effect next year, duties on 99 per cent exports to the UK will be reduced to zero. Jaipur-based jeweller K B Goyal of Dwarka Jewellers said the removal of the 3-3.5 per cent duty on jewellery items in the UK will give Indian jewellers a strong edge in global markets. "The duty removal will help jewellers in sales and marketing of jewellery samples abroad... We will give tough competition to China, Thailand, and Hong Kong," Goyal told PTI on Wednesday. He said India's estimated export of gold, silver, and platinum jewellery to the UK stands around USD 400 million, with Rajasthan contributing nearly 40 per cent. "We expect this export to increase 1.5 times in the next 2-3 years," he added. Trade policy expert Ri
The free trade agreement between India and the UK will help boost the country's exports and attract investments from Britain, according to experts. The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) was signed on July 24 and is likely to come into force next year. Gulzar Didwania, Partner, Deloitte India, said the signing of the CETA is expected to deliver significant gains for India by boosting exports, attracting investments, and providing duty-free market access for nearly 99 per cent of Indian exports across key sectors, such as textiles, automotive components, footwear, and pharmaceuticals. "A key highlight of the agreement also lies in the service sector, where it will open wider opportunities for Indian IT, financial, healthcare, and professional service providers in the UK market," he added. Additionally, Didwania said, the pact will facilitate smoother movement of skilled professionals, promote mutual recognition of qualifications, and strengthen collaboration in ...