UK and India Free Trade Agreement

Business leaders across West London have strongly welcomed the signing of the UK-India Free Trade Agreement, as Business and Trade Secretary, Jonny Reynolds and India’s Commerce and Industry Minister, Piyush Goyal, signed the landmark trade deal.

This will unlock £4.8bn of economic growth for the UK, and is widely backed by large and small businesses across aerospace, financial and professional services, food and drink, and the automotive sector.

Our member Pernod Ricard released the following statement from Jean-Etienne Gourgues, Chivas Brothers Chairman and CEO, who said:

“Signature of the UK-India FTA is a sign of hope in challenging times for the spirits industry.

“India is the world’s biggest whisky market by volume and greater access will be an eventual game changer for the export of our Scotch whisky brands, such as Chivas Regal and Ballantine’s.

“The deal will support long term investment and jobs in our distilleries in Speyside and our bottling plant at Kilmalid and help deliver growth in both Scotland and India over the next decade.

“Let’s hope that both governments will move quickly to ratification so business can get to work implementing the deal!”