Indian steel exporters will be able to ship more than 1.1 mln tons of steel annually to the UK duty-free under the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), which came into force on July 15. The arrangement combines country-specific and residual tariff-rate quotas, allowing Indian steel to retain preferential access despite the UK’s safeguard measures.
The UK steel safeguard regime had emerged as one of the final hurdles to implementing the trade pact after Britain announced tighter safeguard measures earlier this year. Under the agreement, India secured a dedicated quota for steel exports, while shipments exceeding the quota will remain subject to the UK’s safeguard duty.
According to local media reports, the quota provides Indian steelmakers with improved access to the UK market at a time when exports are facing rising protectionist measures in several key destinations. Industry officials said the agreement is expected to support exports of flat and long steel products while strengthening India’s competitiveness in the UK market.
The India-UK trade agreement eliminates tariffs on the majority of traded goods between the two countries and is expected to boost bilateral trade over the coming years. The steel provisions are viewed as a key outcome of the negotiations, preserving market access for Indian producers despite the UK’s revised safeguard regime.