Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal will travel to the United Kingdom from June 25 to 27, 2026, for high-level discussions and industry outreach ahead of the July 15 implementation of the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and the Double Contribution Convention (DCC).
Focus on regulatory alignment and implementation
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry stated that Goyal will hold a bilateral meeting with UK Business and Trade Secretary Peter Kyle. The talks aim to align regulatory roadmaps, streamline customs coordination, and finalize administrative mechanisms for a smooth rollout of tariff cuts and professional mobility provisions under the landmark deal.
“The engagement marks an important step towards the operationalisation of the agreements and the strengthening of the economic partnership between the two countries,” the Ministry said.
Tariff liberalization and market access
The discussions will review preparedness for CETA’s tariff liberalization commitments, which are expected to provide enhanced market access for Indian exports in the UK. The two sides will also discuss the operational roadmap for the DCC, which aims to address dual social security contribution requirements for eligible temporary workers, thereby supporting greater mobility of professionals and businesses.
Additionally, mutual market access commitments across key services sectors and measures to strengthen bilateral trade and investment ties will be reviewed.
Government-to-business engagements
Goyal will address the opening plenary of the India Global Forum on “Capital, Innovation and the UK-India Moment” and hold standalone meetings with senior executives from HSBC Global Trade Solutions and Rolls-Royce to discuss strategic investments and manufacturing partnerships in India.
He will also participate in a business plenary and luncheon hosted by the UK-India Business Council with C-suite leaders from Tata, TCS, HSBC, Prudential, De Beers, and Baker McKenzie.
Investor roundtable and business community interaction
To deepen investor engagement, Goyal will lead an exclusive roundtable hosted by Asia House with senior executives from JP Morgan, Standard Chartered, Lloyds, Morgan Stanley, and Arup to discuss India’s industrial competitiveness and integration with global supply chains.
The visit will conclude with an interaction with the visiting Indian industry delegation and the British-Indian business community. “The visit underscores India’s commitment to engaging with global businesses and investors and is expected to contribute to the shared objective of expanding India-UK economic cooperation and advancing the target of achieving USD 120 billion in bilateral trade by 2030,” the Ministry said.
