Chief Minister Hmanta Biswa Srama says the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement will boost Assam tea, MSMEs and agro-processing through duty-free access to the UK market
Guwahati: The Indian-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) has come into force, granting 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 described the agreement as “a defining moment” for the state’s tea industry. In a post on X, he said duty-free access to the UK would strengthen demand, improve price realisation and enhance the global recognition of Assam’s Geographical Indication (GI)-tagged tea.
The Chief Minister states the agreement would benefit lakhs of tea garden workers and growers while also creating new opportunities for Assam’s agro-processing sector and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) through improved market access. He noted that India-UK bilateral trade is projected to nearly double to USD 120 billion by 2030, creating opportunities for farmers, workers, businesses, women, youth and professionals.
The chief minister also credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership for expanding India’s global economic partnerships and securing preferential market access for Indian exporters through high-quality trade agreements. The India-UK CETA officially came into effect on July 15, marking a major milestone in bilateral trade relations.
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