India, July 19 -- The UK is eliminating tariffs on about 99 per cent of tariff lines, covering nearly the entire value of India's exports

Trade agreements are usually celebrated when they are signed. Economics suggests that another date matters more: the day firms begin using them. The India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), which entered into force on July 15, 2026, should therefore be viewed not as the conclusion of a negotiation, but as the beginning of an institutional test.

The agreement is substantial. Negotiations began on January 13, 2022, and the pact was signed on July 24, 2025, after more than 3 years of negotiations. Bilateral trade in goods and services reached nearly £48 billion in 2025. For perspe...