UK-India FTA enters force July 15: prep your tariff schedules
The UK-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA) enters into force on 15 July 2026, opening preferential market access worth an estimated £4.8bn in bilateral trade. Exporters and importers between the UK and India must immediately verify product eligibility, update duty calculations, and ensure certificates of origin are ready to claim tariff reductions on day one. Failure to prepare now risks paying full tariffs on shipments that could qualify for duty-free or reduced-duty treatment under the new schedule.
Photo: Anil Sharma / PexelsThe UK-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA) will enter into force on 15 July 2026, according to a 17 June 2026 announcement from the UK Department for Business and Trade (DBT). The agreement is valued at approximately £4.8bn in bilateral trade opportunity.
"Businesses to start preparations for historic UK-India trade deal worth £4.8bn to enter into force next month."
— UK DBT
Who is affected
All UK-registered exporters shipping goods to India and Indian exporters importing into the UK are immediately affected. E-commerce retailers, freight forwarders, and SMB manufacturers trading with either jurisdiction must act before the 15 July effective date.
What you need to do now
- Verify product eligibility: Review your product line against the FTA tariff schedules (once published by the DBT and Ministry of Commerce & Industry, India). Not all goods receive preferential rates — some products may have exclusions or phase-in periods.
- Update landed-cost calculations: Recalculate duty liabilities for imports from India and exports to India. Preferential rates typically apply immediately on day one, but only if proper documentation is filed.
- Prepare certificates of origin (CoO): UK exporters must be ready to issue UK CoOs under the FTA rules of origin on or after 15 July. Indian exporters must ensure their CoOs meet UK acceptance criteria. Incorrect or missing CoOs will result in loss of preference and full-tariff exposure.
- Alert your supply-chain partners: Notify your UK-based customers (if you are an Indian exporter) or your Indian suppliers (if you are a UK importer) so they can coordinate on documentation timing.
Timeline
With fewer than four weeks until entry into force, delays in receiving final tariff schedules from either government are a material risk. Contact your trade body or customs broker immediately if you have not yet obtained the final schedules.
What this means for shippers
You must verify which of your UK–India shipments qualify for preference under the new FTA by 15 July. Update your landed-cost models, brief your supply-chain partners on the new CoO rules, and ensure your customs broker or compliance team has copies of the final tariff schedules. Missing this deadline means paying full tariffs on goods that could have entered duty-free or at reduced rates — a direct hit to margin. Start now: /usmca-duty-free-check
