Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal will visit the United Kingdom from June 25 to 27 to hold high-level discussions aimed at facilitating the implementation of the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and the Double Contribution Convention (DCC), both of which are scheduled to come into force on July 15.
During the visit, Goyal will hold bilateral talks with Peter Kyle, the UK Secretary of State for Business and Trade. The discussions are expected to focus on aligning regulatory frameworks, streamlining customs coordination and finalising administrative mechanisms required for the smooth implementation of the two agreements.
According to the Commerce Ministry, the ministers will review preparations for CETA’s tariff liberalisation commitments, which are expected to provide greater market access for Indian exports in the UK. They will also discuss the operational roadmap for the Double Contribution Convention, which seeks to address dual social security contribution requirements for eligible temporary workers and facilitate the mobility of professionals and businesses.
The two sides are also expected to review progress on mutual market access commitments in key services sectors and explore measures to further strengthen bilateral trade and investment ties. The visit comes as India and the UK seek to deepen economic engagement and move towards their target of achieving USD 120 billion in bilateral trade by 2030.
Apart from official meetings, Goyal will participate in a series of government-to-business engagements with investors, industry leaders and corporate executives. He is scheduled to address the opening plenary session of the India Global Forum on the theme “Capital, Innovation and the UK-India Moment”, highlighting opportunities arising from the implementation of the trade agreement.
The minister will also hold separate meetings with senior executives from HSBC and Rolls-Royce to discuss strategic investments, industrial collaboration and manufacturing partnerships in India.
As part of his London engagements, Goyal will attend a business session organised by the UK-India Business Council, where he will interact with representatives of major multinational companies, including Tata, TCS, HSBC, Prudential, De Beers and Baker McKenzie.
He will also lead a roundtable discussion hosted by Asia House with senior executives from leading international financial and industrial institutions such as J.P. Morgan, Standard Chartered, Lloyds, Morgan Stanley and Arup. The discussions will focus on India’s investment climate, industrial competitiveness and integration into global supply chains.
The visit will conclude with interactions with the Indian industry delegation, members of the British-Indian business community and representatives of global education groups, as India seeks to strengthen commercial partnerships and attract greater investment flows.
