Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday hailed the coming into force of the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and the Agreement on Social Security, calling it “a significant moment in the India-United Kingdom partnership.”

“With the coming into force of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement and the Agreement on Social Security, our economic linkages are going to get even deeper. Together, these agreements translate our shared ambition into tangible opportunities for our people,” PM Modi said in a post on X.

The Prime Minister said the CETA would give “fresh momentum” to farmers, entrepreneurs and MSMEs, with several sectors gaining stronger access to the UK market. “It will also deepen cooperation in technology, professional services and innovation, while supporting greater mobility for skilled Indian talent,” he said.

On the accompanying social security agreement, Modi said it would “provide invaluable support” to Indian professionals working temporarily in the UK and strengthen the competitiveness of Indian enterprises.

“This moment reflects the trust between our democracies and our resolve to build a forward-looking partnership driven by trade, technology, investment and innovation. India and the UK will continue working together for shared prosperity,” he said.

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Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, in a separate post, said the CETA delivers zero-duty access on nearly 99% of India’s exports, with almost the entirety of bilateral trade value becoming duty-free.

He said the pact would bring significant gains for labour-intensive sectors including agriculture, textiles, leather, gems and jewellery, pharmaceuticals, engineering goods and marine products.

On agriculture specifically, the agreement provides zero-duty access to all agri products barring chicken, pork, eggs, rice and sugar, along with zero-duty access to 97.1% of tariff lines for processed food items, positioning Indian agri exports competitively against major rivals in the UK’s over $90 billion agri and processed food import market.

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The social security pact exempts Indian workers moving temporarily to the UK, along with their employers, from contributing to the UK’s National Insurance Contribution for five years, with over 75,000 professionals and more than 900 companies expected to benefit.

The agreement also provides dedicated annual mobility opportunities for 1,800 Indian professionals, including chefs, yoga instructors and classical musicians, and covers commitments across 137 services sub-sectors.


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