India-UK FTA goes live July 15: Scotch, autos, cosmetics duties collapse, rewriting import shelf math

From July 15, India-UK FTA cuts Scotch duty from 150% to 40%, autos from 100% to 10% under quotas, and cosmetics from 22% to zero. 99% of tariff lines go duty-free, resetting landed costs for liquor, mobility and beauty retailers and pressuring domestic premium players to defend price ladders.

— Source publishedThu, 18 Jun, 2026, 04:43 IST·First seen Thu, 18 Jun, 2026, 05:11 IST·Source Times of India · Business

What happened

India-UK FTA operationalises July 15, slashing duties on Scotch (150% to 40%), autos (100% to 10% with quotas) and cosmetics (22% to zero), reshaping import

Key facts

  • July 15 rollout
  • 99% tariff lines duty-free
  • Scotch duty 150% to 40%
  • autos 100% to 10%
  • cosmetics 22% to 0%
  • 85% exports out of steel measures

Why this matters

Scout UK brand distribution rights and JV targets in Scotch, cosmetics, and mobility now while incumbent Indian premium players face defensive repricing and potential consolidation pressure.