Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) has opened door to new phase in relationship between two countries, with focus now shifting from agreement to action. Momentum already being seen, as leaders from across North of England have been travelling together to India, for first time under The Great North banner to strengthen ties on trade, investment, innovation, culture and visitor economy.
Beyond headlines - Agreements only as powerful as opportunities they unlock. Tariff reductions, regulatory alignment, and mobility provisions matter enormously; yet true value realised only when businesses on ground understand precisely where and how they apply. Keeping this in mind, Northern Mayors joined by businesses, small and medium enterprises and universities from across region to help bolster links, showcase North's economic assets and create new opportunities for trade, investment and academic collaboration. North of England and India already have deep and growing ties, with nearly 5,40,000 people of Indian origin living across region. Indian companies have invested over £1bn in Northwest alone, supporting more than 6,700 jobs, according to Confederation of Indian Industry report. Nearly 200 delegates from across North were part of visit, bringing together mayors, businesses, universities and leaders from tourism, culture and sport to make case for North as destination for investment, partnerships and growth.
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U.K. Foreign Secretary David Lammy's statement (made in 2024) describing trade pact as "the floor, not the ceiling" of bilateral relationship is true essence of current ties between New Delhi and London. Agreement is result of several rounds of negotiations over years - 14 rounds, with each point deliberated to deliver and cash-in on strengths and individual goals of two nations. U.K. India Business Council, mission partner for Great North delegation, is working to help U.K. businesses better understand opportunity and reframe how they see India. India no longer simply market to sell into. It is strategic partner with potential to become integral part of U.K.'s research and development (R and D), technology, talent and supply chains.
Visits to action - In last few years, ministerial and government visits have been largely with broader vision to keep ball rolling. This was seen with former U.K. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's delegation coming to India in 2025 and vice-versa. But this time we see policymakers coming in to discuss next steps. Government meetings, business delegations, university partnerships, R and D collaborations, sports and cultural ties and targeted regional engagements in business hubs of India. Itinerary designed to build long-term relationship.
There is already some impact, with footprint of Indian businesses in U.K. having expanded sharply this year, number of Indian-owned companies rising nearly 60% from previous year and combined revenues surpassing £105 billion, according to latest India Meets Britain Tracker published by Grant Thornton UK.
Bilateral trade between India and U.K. rose to £47.4 billion in 2025, marking 11.7% increase from previous year. Growth concentrated on advanced manufacturing, clean energy and technology. With CETA now in place, India-U.K. corridor poised for unprecedented growth, creating value for both economies.
In one of UKIBC's reports on CETA, it has focused on regional collaboration, mapping them against sector-specific pathways for growth. Regional approach offers India nuanced and targeted pathway into U.K. economy; one that goes beyond London and into innovation-rich heartlands. Report takes one step ahead from macro view and delves into specifics. Examine Maharashtra's aerospace ambitions, Gujarat's chemical exports, Karnataka's world-class IT ecosystem and Tamil Nadu's pharmaceutical prowess. It asks not just what deal means for India or U.K. in aggregate, but also what it means for industries and communities that will live with its consequences day to day.
Conversations need to translate into business. For micro, small and medium enterprise, challenge often not whether benefits of trade agreement exist, but how one can access them. That means understanding and navigating finer details, such as knowing tariff preference exists, establishing whether product qualifies, meeting rules of origin, securing right documentation, and managing administrative costs of claiming benefit.
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Business guide - As India signs more trade agreements, task is about ensuring businesses can take full advantage of what has been negotiated on their behalf. To simplify, UKIBC has developed A U.K.-India CETA Business Utilisation Manual - A Practical Activation Guide for Indian and UK Businesses, launched recently by Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal in London. Guide designed to simplify agreement and help businesses understand where opportunities lie, whether they qualify, and how to act on them.
For India, North of England offers complement to London-centric view - advanced manufacturing in Sheffield, chemicals in Teesside, data centres in Manchester. For UK, India offers talent and market. For both, CETA floor not ceiling.
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