India-UK CETA Agreement to Supercharge Madhya Pradesh’s Development
A New Chapter in MP's Trade with the UK
“Madhya Pradesh’s New Flight – With Friends of MP”The Second Series of an Exclusive Ground-Zero Report by Senior Journalist Sarman Nagele
India-UK CETA Agreement to Supercharge Madhya Pradesh’s Development
A New Chapter in MP’s Trade with the UK
SARMAN NAGELE: London
With zero-duty access to the UK market taking effect on 15 July 2026, Madhya Pradesh’s development is set to experience a major boost, scripting a brand-new chapter in trade with London. With the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and the accompanying Double Contribution Convention (DCC) entering into force on 15 July 2026, the Govt of Madhya Pradesh and the industrial sector stand fully prepared to seize these highly consequential trade opportunities. From day one, the United Kingdom will eliminate customs duties (tariffs) on 99% of India’s tariff lines, granting immediate and duty-free access to MP’s textile, pharmaceutical, engineering, auto-component, and food-processing exporters in one of the world’s premier consumer markets.
To accelerate MP’s development and script a new chapter in trade with Britain, Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav should intensify efforts to formulate and implement comprehensive and effective policies.
CETA removes long-standing UK tariff walls across precisely the sectors where Madhya Pradesh competes. From the date the agreement enters into force, UK import duties will drop to zero across major sectors:
Textiles and clothing – previously up to 12%
Processed food products – previously up to 70%
Engineering goods and auto components – previously up to 18%
Leather and footwear – previously up to 16%
Chemicals and pharmaceuticals – previously up to 8%
Marine products – previously up to 21.5%
Alongside goods, CETA opens all 12 major UK services sectors and 137 sub-sectors to Indian service providers, including IT and IT-enabled services, professional and financial services, engineering, and consultancy. Furthermore, under the DCC, Indian professionals on temporary assignments to the UK are exempt from paying dual social-security contributions, with the exemption period extended from three years to five. This is expected to benefit more than 75,000 professionals and over 900 companies.
The NRI Department of the Government of Madhya Pradesh is held by Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav, who is actively working to bring Indian diaspora members from different parts of the world together. The department has initiated the creation of country-specific chapters to connect as many people of MP origin as possible across nearly every nation.
The Friends of Madhya Pradesh (FOMP) UK Chapter is a key part of this initiative. Its Chairman and Patron is MP Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav, while London-based businessman and former Deputy Mayor of London Rajesh Agrawal serves as Patron & Founder, alongside Rohit Dixit as Founder.
Friends of Madhya Pradesh (FOMP) UK, in concert with FICCI Europe, is issuing a major call to action to MP’s exporters, the government, and the UK-MP diaspora to convert this tariff advantage into lasting trade. A tariff cut is an opportunity, not a direct payment. It can only benefit exporters who are completely ready. FOMP UK is urging MPs’ industry leaders to take proactive action on four distinct fronts, both before and immediately after 15 July.
The state’s textile and garment sectors in Indore, Ujjain, Burhanpur, and Bhopal are built on a solid cotton base and backed by the state’s Textile Policy incentives. Additionally, the PM MITRA mega-park at Dhar is actively advancing MP’s core vision of “farm to fibre to fabric to fashion to foreign.”
FOMP UK Patron & Founder Rajesh Agrawal (former Deputy Mayor of London) and Founder Rohit Dixit stated:
“CETA gives Madhya Pradesh a genuinely level playing field in the UK from 15 July. Our message to MP’s exporters is simple: the tariff has been eliminated; we are now fully geared up to help you find buyers.”
“Working through FICCI Europe, FOMP UK aims to execute the UK-side operations that turn a trade pact into actual business, such as matchmaking, validation, and mobilization.”
(FOMP) It is dedicated to strengthening trade, investment, and cultural ties between Madhya Pradesh and the United Kingdom. In partnership with FICCI Europe, FOMP UK connects MPs’ exporters and MSMEs with UK buyers and investors while facilitating matchmaking in priority sectors. The organization is actively mobilizing UK-based Madhya Pradesh diaspora members ahead of the landmark Bhopal Global Investors Summit 2027.
