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India-UK Ties
About 90-95 per cent of Indian professionals employed by Indian companies operating in the UK would be benefitted from the social security agreement between the two countries, a move that will reduce costs for firms and enhance the competitiveness of Indian service providers in the British market, an official said. The two countries on June 17 announced that the Agreement on Social Security or the Double Contribution Convention (DCC) and Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) will come into effect on July 15. The DCC will give a major boost to IT majors like Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and Infosys. Professionals of Indian-origin contribute about USD 0.5 billion each year to the UK social security. Under the DCC, employees temporarily transferred by companies from India to the UK, or vice versa, will be exempt from making social security contributions in the host country for up to five years. It was a key demand of India. Around 75,000 Indian professionals are worki
India will allow the import of 3.78 lakh units of conventional-engine passenger cars, including those in the mass segment, from the UK at concessional customs duty during the first 15 years of the implementation of the trade pact between the two countries. Under the pact, tariffs on automotive imports will fall from about 110 per cent to 10 per cent, with quotas on both sides. According to the India-UK CETA document, released on Wednesday, India will get access to the UK's electric, hybrid/hydrogen passenger cars segment with duty-free exports to that country from the sixth year in the price segment ranging from GBP 20,000 to GBP 80,000, with the total quota reaching a peak of 88,000 units from the 15th year and continuing in the subsequent years. This will benefit Indian manufacturers such as Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles, Mahindra & Mahindra, and Maruti Suzuki, among others. The two countries announced the implementation of the comprehensive trade and economic partnership ...
Indian companies operating in the UK would not have to make social security contributions for up to five years for employees they move from India to support their operations, a one which will give a major a boost to IT majors like Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and Infosys. The commerce ministry said that the Agreement on Social Security or the Double Contribution Convention (DCC) will come into effect from July 15 along with the comprehensive economic and trade agreement (CETA). The DCC "exempts Indian workers and employers from making dual social security contributions in the United Kingdom during temporary assignments. The period of exemption has been increased from 3 years to 5 years," it said. More than 75,000 Indian professionals and over 900 companies are expected to benefit, it said. The agreement, it said, will support mobility and continued social security coverage of the employees on temporary overseas assignments. "This will enhance India-UK partnerships in the servi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday met his British counterpart Keir Starmer and discussed ways to further deepen India-UK ties in areas such as trade, technology, innovation, defence, and clean energy. The two leaders, who met on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Evian-les-Bains in eastern France, also discussed regional and global developments, including the situation in West Asia and the conflict in Ukraine. In a post on X, Modi described the meeting as "wonderful" and said the past year had been "outstanding" for India-UK relations. "The trade deal has opened many avenues of economic cooperation. Today's talks focused on how to add even more momentum to India-UK ties," he said. Modi said the two leaders discussed ways to work closely in areas such as innovation, artificial intelligence, skill development and sports, as well as measures to boost investment linkages for the benefit of the people of both countries. "India-UK ties continue to gain momentum across trade, ...
The UK and India share a dynamic and forward-looking partnership built on trust, collaboration, and shared ambition, UK's Trade Commissioner for South Asia Harjinder Kang has said. Speaking during the annual King's Birthday Party celebrations here, Kang said this year's celebration follows a milestone year in UKIndia relations, marked by the signing of a Free Trade Agreement, a shared India-UK Vision 2035, and reciprocal visits by Prime Ministers Keir Starmer and Narendra Modi to each other's countries. The past year reflects a partnership that is deeper, broader, and more forward-looking than ever before, he said. "The UK and India share a dynamic and forward-looking partnership built on trust, collaboration, and shared ambition," Kang, who is also the Deputy High Commissioner, said on Friday. Kang hosted the King's Birthday Party on Friday, bringing together distinguished guests to celebrate the birthday of King Charles III. The evening brought together senior representatives fr
Former UK prime minister Liz Truss described India as a central force shaping the emerging global order during an event on Friday, where she was conferred an honorary degree. She was conferred with an honorary doctorate, recognising her leadership, public service, and contributions to global political discourse during the convocation ceremony of the Lovely Professional University at Phagwara in Punjab, according to a statement by the varsity. Addressing the convocation ceremony, Vice President C P Radhakrishnan urged graduates to carry forward the values of integrity, diversity, compassion, and service. Expressing concern over the growing challenge of drug abuse on campuses, the vice president appealed to students not only to reject drugs but also to actively prevent peers from falling into this trap, describing such vigilance as a meaningful contribution to society. The convocation was presided over by Punjab Governor and Administrator of Chandigarh, Gulab Chand Kataria. Kataria
A research tie-up between Imperial College London and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay to harness quantum computing and biotechnology to help farmers grow stronger crops that are more resilient to climate change has emerged as a focus area ahead of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's expected visit to Mumbai next week. The project builds on quantum as a key pillar of the India-UK Technology Security Initiative (TSI), with a mission to cultivate healthier soil microbes and unlock new strategies for protecting crops in arid and climate-vulnerable regions. The India-UK TSI, signed last year, is scheduled to be at the top of the agenda when Starmer joins Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Global Fintech Fest (GFF) 2025, starting in Mumbai on Tuesday. Imperial College London President, Professor Hugh Brady, will be among the members of the prime ministerial delegation headed for Mumbai on Starmer's first visit to India as UK PM. While further partnerships between the U
The India-UK trade pact has incorporated a mutual recognition agreement framework to facilitate smoother entry of medical devices certified by domestic regulatory agencies into the British market, an official said on Tuesday. The framework will help Indian manufacturers expand market share in the UK vis-a-vis its global competitors like China, Brazil, and Vietnam who face non-preferential duty. "The free trade agreement includes a mutual recognition agreement framework allowing medical devices certified by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) or the Indian Certification of Medical Devices (ICMED) to access the UK market more freely," the official said. Medical devices and instruments will be exported to the UK at zero tariffs, down from the current duty range of 2 per cent to 6 per cent, benefiting Indian manufacturers of surgical and diagnostic equipment. The UK medical devices market was valued at USD 32 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 69 billion
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday kick-started his two-day visit to the UK to expand the bilateral ties in areas of defence, trade and technology, with the formalisation of the landmark India-UK free trade deal set to be a major outcome of his trip. The Prime Minister was received at the airport by UK Foreign Office Minister in charge of the Indo-Pacific Catherine West along with Indian High Commissioner to the UK Vikram Dorsaiswami and British High Commissioner to New Delhi Lindy Cameron. Modi will hold wide-ranging talks with his British counterpart Keir Starmer on Thursday that is expected to focus on imparting a new momentum in the strategic ties between the two countries. Starmer is set to host Modi for the talks at Chequers, the official country residence of the British prime minister that is located 50 km northwest of London. Modi was greeted by cheering groups of community leaders, students and parliamentarians gathered in anticipation on the outskirts of London. Th