India y el Reino Unido firmaron el jueves un esperado Tratado de Libre Comercio (TLC) que se espera impulse el comercio bilateral en casi 34.000 millones de dólares cada año.
El acuerdo se formalizó en Londres en presencia del primer ministro indio, Narendra Modi, y del primer ministro británico, Keir Starmer.
El acuerdo fue firmado por el Ministro de Comercio de la India, Piyush Goyal, y el Secretario de Estado de Negocios y Comercio del Reino Unido, Jonathan Reynolds.
Marca un hito importante en las relaciones económicas entre ambas naciones y se considera el acuerdo comercial más importante para la India en más de una década. Para el Reino Unido, es su primer pacto comercial importante desde su salida de la Unión Europea.
El primer ministro Narendra Modi afirmó: «Este acuerdo no es solo un acuerdo económico, sino también un plan para una prosperidad compartida. Por un lado, los productos textiles, calzado, gemas y joyería, mariscos y productos de ingeniería de la India tendrán mejor acceso al mercado del Reino Unido. Surgirán nuevas oportunidades en el mercado británico para la industria de productos agrícolas y alimentos procesados de la India».
Este acuerdo beneficiará especialmente a la juventud, los agricultores, los pescadores y las PYMES de la India. Por otro lado, para la población y la industria de la India, los productos fabricados en el Reino Unido, como los dispositivos médicos, estarán disponibles a precios razonables y asequibles, añadió.
BENEFICIOS CLAVE PARA AMBOS PAÍSES
As per documents shared by Indian officials, 99% of Indian exports to the UK will now attract zero duties. This includes key sectors such as textiles, generic medicines, medical devices, leather goods, chemicals, and agricultural products.
In return, India will reduce tariffs on 90% of its tariff lines, with the average tariff on British goods coming down from 15% to 3%.
The import duty on Scotch whisky will be halved immediately to 75%, and further reduced to 40% over the next ten years. Electric vehicles from the UK will also see a drop in import duties, from 110% to 10%, under a quota system.
Indian agricultural exports will now enjoy tariff parity with major European nations, while zero-duty access for textiles and leather goods is expected to strengthen India’s position over other regional exporters such as Bangladesh and Cambodia. The leather sector alone is expected to gain an additional 5% market share in the UK within two years.
IMPULSO A LAS EXPORTACIONES INDIAS
The agreement is expected to bring a major push to several Indian industries. As per government estimates:
Engineering and electronics exports to the UK could double by 2030.
Chemical exports may rise by 30% to 40% in the next financial year.
Exports of gems and jewellery, currently at $941 million, are expected to double over the next three years.
Software services exports are likely to grow at an annual rate of 20% once the agreement comes into effect.
BENEFICIOS PARA EL REINO UNIDO
From the UK’s perspective, the deal will make it easier for companies to sell whisky, automobiles and other products to India. The agreement also includes a procurement section, allowing British businesses to bid for Indian government contracts at the federal level — a move that is likely to help UK service companies.
There is also a dedicated chapter on financial services. UK officials confirmed that it will ensure British financial firms get equal treatment as domestic companies in India.
Another chapter will focus on intellectual property rights. While there were concerns earlier that the UK might ask India to tighten rules that could affect its supply of low-cost medicines, officials quoted by Bloomberg said the FTA will not hamper India’s ability to supply generic drugs.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the agreement a “major win” for Britain. “It will create thousands of British jobs across the UK, unlock new opportunities for businesses and drive growth in every corner of the country,” Starmer said in a statement.
As part of the visit, the UK government also announced that Indian companies will be investing nearly 6 billion in the UK, helping to create more than 2,200 jobs across the country.
UK officials estimate that the deal will lead to a 60% rise in British exports to India over the long term.