India-UK FTA Live July 15: Textiles, Leather, Footwear Exporters Told to Upgrade Standards

FTA effective July 15 eliminates UK tariffs spanning textiles (up to 12%), leather/footwear (16%), engineering (18%) and processed foods (70%). Experts urge Indian exporters to align with UK regulatory standards to capture share. Leather/footwear exports targeted to triple from USD 494M (2024) to USD 1B in three years.

— Source publishedSun, 21 Jun, 2026, 15:25 IST·First seen Sun, 21 Jun, 2026, 16:19 IST·Source NDTV Profit

What happened

India-UK CETA · India-UK FTA takes effect July 15, eliminating UK tariffs on textiles, leather, footwear and processed foods. Experts urge Indian exporters to

Key facts

  • July 15 effective date
  • UK textile duties up to 12%
  • leather/footwear duties up to 16%
  • engineering goods up to 18%
  • processed foods up to 70%
  • leather/footwear exports USD 494M (2024) to USD 1B in 3 years
  • textiles 6.1% UK market share

Why this matters

Scout UK distribution, warehousing and brand-licensing tie-ups now to monetize the FTA window, especially in leather/footwear where the export base is set to double-plus.