English and Indian flag standing on the table with defocused background
| Photo Credit:
atakan
Indian exporters, particularly from labour-intensive sectors such as apparel, leather, footwear and textiles, are reporting a sharp rise in enquiries from UK buyers ahead of the implementation of the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) on July 15, as brands move to take advantage of duty-free access on a wide range of Indian products.Exporters said the elimination of tariffs from day one on most products would significantly improve India’s competitiveness in the British market, placing it on a level playing field with rivals such as Bangladesh and Vietnam while giving it an advantage over suppliers from countries such as China that do not enjoy similar preferential access. Export SurgeWhile optimistic about a surge in exports, some said they were awaiting final operational clarity on rules of origin documentation and online certification procedures.“The long wait is over and the apparel industry is completely geared up to take the fullest advantage of duty-free access to the all-important UK market,” said Mithileshwar Thakur, Secretary General of the Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC). He said enquiries from UK buyers had risen sharply as brands begin placing spring season orders and expressed confidence that India’s apparel exports to the UK could double over the next two years.Thakur, however, noted that while tariff reductions improve India’s competitiveness, overseas buyers generally do not offer higher prices to exporters simply because customs duties have fallen.“The implementation of CETA marks a watershed moment for bilateral commerce,” said Ajay Sahai, Director General of the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO). He said exporters across sectors had already aligned their operations to leverage preferential market access and expected export momentum to gather pace over the coming months as UK buyers increasingly factor duty savings into their sourcing decisions.Leather and footwear exporters are equally optimistic. Israr Ahmed, a Chennai-based leather and footwear exporter, said the reduction in import duties—from around 4.5 per cent on certain footwear categories to zero—would strengthen India’s position in the UK market.“We’ll now be on par with countries such as Vietnam and Bangladesh and have an edge over competitors like China,” Ahmed said. He estimated that the agreement could increase India’s leather and footwear exports to the UK by around 10 per cent, although he did not expect an immediate surge in shipments.Self-certificationUnlike some sectors, his company has continued shipping without delay as winter orders cannot afford logistical disruptions. However, Ahmed said both exporters and UK importers were awaiting clarity on whether consignments already in transit would qualify for preferential tariffs if they arrive after July 15, as well as on certain online documentation requirements and aspects of the rules of origin.On certification, exporters said the government has largely put the necessary framework in place. The Centre has authorised agencies to issue preferential certificates of origin and has also enabled self-declaration-based certification. Sahai said the digital certificate-of-origin system, together with self-certification and importer’s knowledge provisions, would help minimise compliance hurdles as businesses begin using the agreement.Published on July 14, 2026