New Delhi, June 19 -- India and the UK rebalanced their signed trade deal early on Wednesday, adjusting Britain's proposed steel safeguards hours before announcing operationlisation of the free trade agreement from July 15, with London extending exemption from social security contribution for Indian professionals in the UK by another two years over initially agreed three-year period in a separate agreement, people familiar with the matter said. This, agreement, the Double Contribution Convention, is reciprocal (in that it will also apply to UK professionals in India), and result in additional savings of $1 billion, the people added. London also allowed duty-free access to over 800 tariff lines of Indian steel goods as its proposed steel safeguard measures will be applicable on balance 188 tariff lines, effective from July 1 they said, requesting anonymity. Rebalancing of the FTA was required as the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), which was signed on July 24, 2025, did not factor in British safeguard measures. Months after signing CETA, the British government on March 19, 2026 announced a new steel trade measure from July 1, 2026, to limit tariff-free steel imports, reducing overall quota volumes by 60%. Any imports above these levels will then face a 50% tariff. However, after rebalancing of CETA on Wednesday, 85% of India's exports will be out of the steel measures. A British government document, UK-India DCC explainer on Wednesday said alongside CETA, the two partners have "agreed on a reciprocal" double contributions convention. "The UK and India have agreed a DCC that will come into force alongside the CETA on 15 July 2026," it added. DCC aims to support business and trade by ensuring that employees moving between the UK and India, and their employers, will only be liable to pay social security contributions in one country at a time, it said....