Synopsis

India's Finance Ministry has notified rules for determining the origin of goods under the India-UK CETA, effective July 15, 2026. This agreement grants duty-free access for 99% of Indian exports to the UK, boosting sectors like textiles and engineering. The rules ensure only genuine goods qualify for preferential tariffs, preventing misuse and strengthening the trade pact's integrity. Businesses must now align supply chains with these origin criteria for full benefit.

FinMin notifies rules for determination of origin of goods under India-UK trade pact

New Delhi: The finance ministry has notified the rules for determination of origin of goods under the India-UK comprehensive economic and trade agreement (CETA), which will come into force from July 15, according to a notification.

A certificate of origin is a key document required for exports to avail duty benefits under India's trade agreements with partner countries.

It is essential to establish the origin of goods to ensure that products from third countries do not wrongly avail themselves of the preferential tariff benefits under trade agreements between the two countries.

The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), in a notification, said entities authorised by the two countries are permitted to issue these certificates in their respective countries.

"These rules may be called the Customs Tariff (Determination of Origin of Goods under Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement between India and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) Rules, 2026. They shall come into force on the 15th July, 2026," it said.

CETA secures duty-free access for 99 per cent of India's exports to the UK, covering nearly the entire trade basket.

This is expected to open new opportunities for labour-intensive industries such as textiles, marine products, leather, footwear, sports goods, toys, and gems and jewellery, alongside fast-growing sectors like engineering goods, auto components, and organic chemicals.

Two-way commerce between India and the UK grew 8.62 per cent to USD 25.12 billion (exports: USD 13.44 billion; imports: USD 11.68 billion) in 2025-26, up from USD 23.13 billion in 2024-25.

India reported a trade surplus of USD 1.76 billion in the last fiscal year.

Commenting on the notification, Rajat Mohan, Managing Partner, AMRG Global, said the notification prescribing the Rules of Origin under the CETA is a crucial step towards operationalising the pact in a transparent and effective manner.

"While the agreement offers significant tariff advantages, these benefits will now be available only to goods that genuinely satisfy the prescribed origin criteria. The framework strengthens the integrity of the FTA by preventing misuse through third-country routing and ensuring that concessions accrue only to legitimate manufacturers and exporters," he said.

Mohan added that businesses should proactively review their supply chains, value addition, sourcing patterns and documentation, as compliance with the rules of origin will be as important as the tariff concessions themselves.