New Delhi

A significant milestone in India-UK economic relations was achieved with the signing of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) on July 24, 2025. The agreement was formalised for Business and Trade, Jonathan Reynolds, the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying said in a release.

CETA offers zero-duty access on 99 per cent of tariff lines and opens up key service sectors. Notably, for the marine sector, the agreement eliminates import tariffs on a wide range of seafood products, thereby enhancing the competitiveness of Indian exporters in the UK market. This is expected to particularly benefit exports of shrimp, frozen fish, and value-added marine products, thereby boosting India's presence in one of its major seafood destinations, alongside labour-intensive sectors such as textiles, leather, and gems and jewellery.

India's key seafood exports to the UK currently include Vannamei shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei), frozen squid, lobsters, frozen pomfret, and black tiger shrimp--all of which are expected to gain further market share under CETA's duty-free access.

Under the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), all fish and fisheries commodities falling under the UK tariff schedule categories marked 'A' now enjoy 100 per cent duty-free access from the date of entry into force of the agreement.

These products previously attracted tariffs ranging from 0 per cent to 21.5 per cent, all of which are now removed, substantially improving cost competitiveness in the UK market. However, products under HS 1601 (sausages and similar items) remain excluded under the staging category 'U' and receive no preferential treatment.

India's total seafood exports in 2024-25 reached $7.38 billion (₹60,523 crore), amounting to 1.78 million metric tonnes. Frozen shrimp remained the top export, accounting for 66 per cent of earnings with $4.88 billion. Marine exports to the UK specifically were valued at $104 million (₹ 879 crore), with frozen shrimp alone contributing $80 million (77 per cent). However, India's share in the UK's $5.4 billion seafood import market is just 2.25 per cent. With CETA now in force, industry estimates project a 70 per cent surge in marine exports to the UK in the coming years.

The fisheries sector supports the livelihoods of approximately 28 million Indians and contributes around 8 per cent of global fish production. Between 2014-15 and 2024-25, India's seafood exports rose from 10.51 lakh metric tonnes to 16.85 lakh metric tonnes (60 per cent growth), while value increased from Rs 33,441.61 crore to Rs 62,408 crore (88 per cent growth). The number of export destinations expanded from 100 to 130 countries, with value-added product exports tripling to Rs 7,666.38 crore, signalling a shift towards high-end global markets. Coastal states like Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Gujarat, which are already key players in seafood exports, are well-positioned to capitalise on CETA. With targeted efforts to meet UK sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standards, these states can further expand their export footprint and enhance compliance with international norms.

The India-UK CETA marks a turning point for India's fisheries sector, not just by offering duty-free access to a premium market but also by uplifting coastal livelihoods, enhancing industry revenues, and strengthening India's reputation as a reliable supplier of high-quality, sustainable seafood. For fisherfolk, processors, and exporters alike, this is a unique opportunity to step onto a larger global stage. This agreement makes a meaningful contribution to India's broader goal of becoming a global leader in sustainable marine trade.

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Indian seafood now competes on par with countries like Vietnam and Singapore, which already benefit from FTAs with the UK, i.e, United Kingdom-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement -UK-VFTA and UK-Singapore Free Trade Agreement -UK-SFTA, respectively. This levels the playing field and removes tariff disadvantages that Indian exporters previously faced, particularly for high-value products such as shrimp and value-added goods. With India's vast production capacity, skilled manpower, and improved traceability systems, CETA enables Indian exporters to capture a larger share of the UK market and diversify beyond traditional partners, such as the US and China.