UK-India FTA slashes Scotch tariffs from 150% to 75%, opens duty-free UK access for Indian agrifood
Signed July 2025, the FTA halves Scotch whisky tariffs immediately with a glide to 40% over 10 years, while 95% of Indian agrifood lines gain duty-free UK entry. Expect £25.5bn annual trade lift, reshaped F&B sourcing, and 48-hour customs release accelerating retail supply chains.
What happened
India-UK FTA · UK-India FTA signed July 2025 cuts tariffs across food and drink: Scotch whisky drops from 150% to 75% immediately and 40% over 10 years, while
Key facts
- £25.5 billion annual trade boost
- £5 billion GDP boost
- Scotch whisky tariff 150% to 75% then 40% over 10 years
- 85% tariff lines liberalised
- 95% Indian agrifood lines duty-free
- 48-hour customs release
Why this matters
Scout bolt-on acquisitions of Indian agrifood brands with UK distribution gaps and UK Scotch distillers lacking India scale, as the FTA collapses the cross-border M&A arbitrage window over the next 18 months.