New Delhi, Oct. 12 -- India-UK trade agreement will be judged by whether companies use it to export, invest and form partnerships, not by its legal text, said UK Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds.

Speaking at the business plenary of the 16th India-UK Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO), Reynolds said the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) has been in force for almost 100 days.

"That is still early," he said, but there were "encouraging signs" of firms on both sides beginning to explore the opportunities it creates.

The JETCO session launched CETA committees and working groups and reviewed the agreement's implementation. Reynolds said these bodies would help businesses raise concerns, resolve issues an...