The India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) came into force on 15 July 2026, enabling Indian steel exporters to access the UK market through expanded duty-free quotas, as per a PTI news report.
The arrangement allows more than 1.1 million tonnes of steel exports annually under a combination of Country-Specific Quotas (CSQ) and the Authorised Use Scheme (AUS), following negotiations between the two countries.
The UK's steel safeguard measures introduced in March had delayed the implementation of CETA, which was signed on 24 July 2025.
According to a government official, India held extensive discussions with the UK, along with consultations with industry stakeholders, to reduce the impact of the safeguard measures and secure improved market access for exporters.
As part of the revised framework, India secured a Country-Specific Quota of 168,029 tonnes along with an exclusive 945,000 tonnes under the Authorised Use Scheme, taking total annual duty-free access to more than 1.1 million tonnes.
The UK also expanded tariff-free access across key product categories. For non-alloy and other alloy hot-rolled sheets and strips, India's quota increased from 12,405 tonnes to 33,456 tonnes, nearly three times the earlier allocation.
The UK has reserved 40% of the quota under the Authorised Use Scheme exclusively for India, translating into around 945,000 tonnes of dedicated trade volume.
In Category 28 (non-alloy wire), the removal of nine commodity codes ensures that 95% of India's exports remain outside the safeguard measures.
Market access has also been expanded in other categories. The residual quota for Category 12B (non-alloy merchant bars and light sections) increased from 468 tonnes to 4,540 tonnes, while Category 26 (other welded tubes) rose from 10,809 tonnes to 16,327 tonnes.
Overall, 188 steel products valued at $137 million were covered under the UK's safeguard measures before the revised arrangement.
India's total steel exports were valued at $960 million in 2025, making steel one of the key sectors covered under the trade agreement.
According to the government, the revised quota framework under the India-UK CETA provides Indian steel exporters with expanded duty-free access to the UK through higher country-specific and authorised-use quotas across multiple steel categories, following the resolution of the safeguard issue.
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Published on: Jul 15, 2026, 4:38 PM IST
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