India-UK trade pact comes into force, duty-free UK access opens for Assam tea
The India-UK CETA has come into force, giving Assam tea duty-free access to the UK market for the first time. The move is expected to strengthen demand, improve price realisation and widen opportunities for Assam's tea sector, MSMEs and agro-processing industry.
- Jul 16, 2026,
- Updated Jul 16, 2026, 6:17 PM IST
- Sarma called the agreement a defining moment for Assam's tea industry
- He said lakhs of garden workers and growers stand to benefit
- Improved demand and better price realisation could lift Assam tea earnings
The India–UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) has come into force, opening duty-free access to the United Kingdom market for 99 per cent of India's exports, including Assam tea for the first time.
Welcoming the development, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the agreement marks a defining moment for the state's tea industry, which will now benefit from duty-free entry into one of its key overseas markets.
In a post on X, Sarma said the agreement would provide a major boost to the lakhs of tea garden workers and growers in Assam by strengthening demand, improving price realisation and enhancing the global standing of the state's Geographical Indication (GI)-tagged tea.
The chief minister said the benefits of the agreement would extend beyond the tea sector, with Assam's agro-processing industry and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) also expected to gain from improved market access.
He noted that India-UK bilateral trade is projected to nearly double to USD 120 billion by 2030, creating new opportunities for farmers, workers, businesses, women, youth and professionals.
Sarma credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership for strengthening India's global economic partnerships and securing preferential market access for Indian producers through high-quality trade agreements.
The India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement came into effect on July 15, marking a significant milestone in bilateral trade relations and expanding export opportunities for Indian goods in the UK market.
